The Lost Monarch
by Tuka Luna Marceau
Summary: Fem!Ichigo. Is. Pissed. For one, she did not ask for the Hogyoku to kill her out of the blue, but someone wished on it. But how can killing her, protect her from that old monk and reincarnate her as a little girl? And her? A princess? You can't be serious! But at any rate, things are bound to get interesting. Feng ni Tan Xia X-Over
1. Chapter 1

The Displaced War Hero

Kurosaki Ichigo looked back...as she oversaw the training of her school from her office. There's the new batch this year.

Urahara, has a clear moment of STUPID.

It was war against Yhwach more than it was war against the Quincy who merely did as told while being fanatic zealots(incase of Quilge Opie) or crazy girls(Minnie, Lil, Gigi and Candy) or a bunch of them altogether in for it for a big reward!

However, at the end when she killed Yhwach with help from Ishida's vengeful dad who collected the silver that manifested in his wife when Auswashlen happened years back and fired it at his heart as an arrow, she quickly was killed by an unknown force, and awakened as a seven years old girl named Huang Beiyue.

The Hogyoku fed her much-needed information before leaving her in this new world after she sent back her answer.

Language. Culture. Who's who. Need-to-Know Knowledge(that made her a wonderful Landlord and educated princess)...and who and why send her here.

Urahara, before joining the war, spent his power to make a wish on the Hogyoku. Knowledge of the War's conclusion. He had seen all events, thus only interfered when needed, all the way to waiting for an opportunity to save Ichigo out of a moment of frantic worry as he had seen her future.

Considering she was forced to bifurcate the Soul King, she was next-in-line for the eternal hell that was its existence.

Only those who possess extraordinary powers can become Soul King.

The former has the power to create life. She was a being with powers of Shinigami, Hollow, Fullbringer and Quincy. Even possessed the power of Hell at some point.

However, the Hogyoku said her fate was merely a possible future that will never happen as she has massive support. Everyone who knew her and whose hearts were touched by her will lynch BOTH Kyoraku and Ichibee and do all means to save her. Powerful they may be, but not even they can tackle a bunch of angry Captain-Classes and her Hollow Allies. The more likelier future was Yhwach, in his moment of stupid, absorbed the King for more power against her.

Like the Soul King, miserable existence aside, he was also made helpless by taking away his name so he had no will at all to even think of breaking free. He was in prison forever, becoming a construct created out of dead beings to control the boundaries that keep all the different worlds separated from each other.

To add insult to injury, this original sin? The ancestors of the five noble houses allowed the Tsunayashiro Clan who feared the Soul King to dismember his limbs and seal him in crystal!

However, in his anger and hatred, his left and right arms, his heart and his soul chain he cut off to manifest his will and wishes as revenge for his injustice. He had the Left arm of Progress and his heart remain with his descendants, the Quincy, and the Right Arm of Stagnation to curse the Shinigami, thus their culture was as how Ichigo had known it. And when Ichigo cut him in half? Why, his power that manifested as creepy shadows, attacked the Shinigami who were baffled as to WHY their King attacked THEM!

Well, Ichibee messed with History obviously which is further doctored by the Tsunayashiro Clan to sweep under the rug, the horrible, dark truths. So because Ichigo can't wish herself back home or it'll be all for nothing. That the original owner of her body died for nothing. So she wished that specific people will know the horrible, buried truths. It's Urahara, the Vizard, Shiba Clan, and her high school friends.

However, the King can see future in many ways, and prepared against the Original Sin to be committed on him. He had banked on Ichigo destroying his body millions of years into the future so he can destroy his enemies' descendants even for a short while. And knowing that she was pulled along by giving her half-truths and half-lies, innocent while genuinely fighting for a good cause, he didn't attack her at all with no grudge at her...and left her much of his powers, AND aware of what Urahara's about to do for her sake.

She is now a fledgling Quincy Monarch and stupidly powerful now, enough to give life too. But at least, she can seal her powers just to keep up the ruse that she has been 'cultivating'. Upon arriving here at age seven, the Hogyoku did it for her beforehand. Urahara could have wished instead, that Ichibee and Kyoraku NOT get any funny ideas so she wouldn't be all alone here, away from family and friends, so she was upset with him. However, she didn't let anyone know 'why' she died in their world because a lotta people will kill Urahara for it.

She was also insanely powerful that Yan, the being sealed in her body, is kept locked tight as well with little expenditure on her part. But rather than the prison leech off of her, she manifested him as a sword in an appearance of his liking, and gave him the limited freedom to roam around a limited space, the space being Qinghe itself with her as the center of that radius. If Ichigo moves, he has no choice but to follow her as if he steps out of the boundary, he would be forced into the state of a sword and unable to move.

Limited freedom is better than nothing, and not even he would dare to cross her.

However, because this world has no Soul Society and Shinigami...laws of the world cost her, her Zanpakuto.

As the Zanpakuto were living manifestations of their user's powers and parts of their personality, they merged with her.

She gained Hollow Zangetsu's instincts and dark personality traits that she repressed for years due to her strong morals, and Quincy Zangetsu's defensive powers and logical rationality which she often used. She missed having them around as even when alone back in Earth, she has people to talk to. Here, if alone...she literally has no one.

Because of what happened, she struggled to find a will to live and found it in a one-year stay with her new mother, Princess Royal Huiwen. She was a kind, generous and virtuous woman loved and admired by commoners, and a powerful warrior in her own right, thus respected by the nobility...although she was conspired against that her death was arranged.

So Ichigo told her mother that she found out what's going on and intended to fake her death, and she would have to go in hiding until the time comes for her to come back, and leave the rest to her. Until then, she should be free to live her life after being dutiful even against her own wishes. Free to be happy and love a man who actually effing loved her. She was wasted on her bastard husband that even she, a 'seven year old' can see that and he clearly didn't deserve them both.

In this world if you're a noble house or royalty, a husband will take more than one wife, if the first one bored him or failed to give him sons twice, as sons are important to carry on the family name. Then, regardless of legal or concubine, they all live separately in separate courtyards with their children. The wives are responsible for the rearing, and father is responsible for 'everything else'.

But during the day, everyone is at the master's residence just to hang out and also, for the family head to get to know his children and...who'll be useful and who wasn't. Thus mothers make sure THEIR children appeal more to their father so she gets to be the best wife most-favored by him.

"Well," Beiyue thought with a sardonic grin. She ensured she wasn't a useful Xiao daughter, considering she wasn't even a Xiao in the first place.

Thank you Hogyoku for giving her, need-to-knows so she can plan accordingly. For now, she'll do nothing but...

**Fuck with me and I'll fuck with you back!**

With a little subtle compulsion to get Huiwen to accept her ideas...Huiwen drank the poison in front of Xue and Jianqiu but Ichigo ensured it doesn't go past her stomach, keeping the poison within a barrier. Then when Xue's gone, took it back out and Beiyue created a fake body using her blood, hair and the poison. Huiwen then left on her own, alone after she was de-aged by her daughter who somehow gained godly powers behind her back.

She was back to being a fifteen year old maiden and tearfully parted with her daughter. She then ran away from Nanyi Country, heading for Xirong to live a free life as her daughter wished for her and remained in contact via letters, once Huiwen established a permanent residence. She was also in possession of a sandalwood bracelet that sealed her powers to enable her ruse as a typical civilian, as only those with money can afford to cultivate.

Trying to achieve 1-star alone if you're a summoner, will cost you 20 million alone, and it gets costlier the further up the ladder you are! It was why young adults are 4-5 stars at most. But if you're royalty...with a doting father at that in the case of the Princes and Princess, they get higher cultivation levels than nobles. 16 years old Crown Prince Zhanye was 9-star Intermediate Summoner as he tamed the Purple-Fire Kirin that skyrocketed his cultivation. Eldest Prince Jing who was 22 was a known 7-star Summoner. 15 years old Third Prince was a 5-star. 14 years old Princess Yingye was a Silver Warrior solely because of her cultivation and aims to catch up with her skill level.

However, as far as strength goes?

Her mother and second cousin is only as strong as a Seated Officer. Around 10th seat or so yet in this world, classified as a 9-Star Summoner, the pinnacle of strength.

For her, that is so _cheap_. It is for someone like her.

She caused her powers to coat Qinghe in life, in order for Qinghe to be rich in cultivating herbs and spirit beast parts needed to make cultivation pills, and makes them herself, with or without a Censer, and sends pills to her mother to keep cultivating to reach at least, Lieutenant Shinigami Levels. The pills are hidden under make-up kits and clothes she sends to her, as well as hiding bags of gold within. Her mother took to living life of a (wealthy)commoner, working as a teacher in Temple School under the name Hongmei(lit: flourishing beauty). To pose as a commoner, she had to cut off her hair and dress like one. Commoner women can only wear their hair waist-length, while maids who work for nobility and royalty are allowed to grow their hair longer if they so choose. And she wore her hair in a hime cut with straight-even bangs and jaw-length fringes, the rest of her hair worn in a low ponytail with a ribbon. And wearing a simple outfit, she ran away using a shrunken-version summon of hers.

And now at 12 years old...she was a princess worth a helluva lot of money whose body was forged for battle. Every year, she earns 550 million gold being the Landlord of TWO counties and she has proof she was, thanks to her mother's stamps. Some of which, spent on necessities with a whole lotta change left over. She also sends her mother a million gold a year for her comfortable livelihood along with packages, trusting only herself for the job because as far as Dongling knows, her mother, is dead.

This also enabled her to hang out with her young mom now, while she too, was disguised as a commoner pretending to be Hongmei's little sister Xian'er for a month which was also cultivation month for a month straight to her students. That, and nobody breaks bones when she isn't around to fix their sorry asses. Huiwen's new hairstyle hid who she was effectively as noblewomen hardly cut their hair save for bangs and fringes, and she cut hers.

Most days, she was melancholy as she embraced being Huang Beiyue.

xxx

'Alright, all cleaned up and nicely-emptied...all that's left is going back...ugh, there.' Beiyue's left brow twitched in agitation at their now empty Official Residence. All furniture and knick-knacks were sealed within a space ring hidden in a loose tile under her bed. Not like anyone's gonna steal a bed...

'It can't be helped.' said Dongling just as enthusiastically, to say, NONE. 'Royal Uncle built Princess Royal a mansion there so Princess Royal won't have to settle for a mere courtyard residence unlike Concubines Qin and Xue.'

'I'm pretty sure they had fun TRYING to break the barrier I put up.' Beiyue grinned before the two girls laughed darkly. 'Well, let's go to not-really-home. Royal Uncle expects me to show up for Lingyang School! Let's clean the place up at night so we can just show up without them knowing it.'

'Yes, miss!'

'Before we leave, let's shop up for a full pantry for both the school AND us.' said Ichigo. 'That way, I won't have to worry about our students now that we have graduates who are now teachers to a new batch. Come on.' and they went out shopping while wearing their riding outfits.

Lots to do before leaving.


	2. Lingyang Entrance Exams

Lingyang Entrance Exams

Linhuai City...

Beiyue and Dongling arrived in the mansion without anyone the wiser using Shunpo.

'Let's prioritize important rooms first.' said Beiyue. 'Kitchen, bathroom and our bedrooms. The rest comes second.'

'Yes, miss!' Dongling took out all cleaning materials known to man out of a cheap ring...and both girls set to work, two rooms each girl, then both tackled the gardens together, planting only fragrant species of flowers while trees were taken into great consideration. There were Ylang-Ylang trees and osmanthuses about, and shrubs that bloom in spring-to-autumn placed strategically around. And given Beiyue's manipulations, the flowers grew en masse and spread on their plants/trees.

They kept operating in secret, until the house is all clean, both in and outside. Down to the roof tiles even! Thanks to their strength, they can scrub off even the most stubborn of dirt and grime that latched on for four years, and repainted everything!

'Haa...decorating can wait...' Beiyue groaned, tired. 'A nice hot bath and dinner would be nice, then we can sleep for all I care.'

'A-agreed...' Dongling groaned, both girls collapsed on the floor and before they knew it, they were fast asleep!

Needless to say when they woke up, they were worse off than before, what they get for sleeping on the floor!

Three days of relaxing later to de-stress...

'Phew...all done!'

The Mansion is decorated with gorgeous decor now. They also took a shower after a hard day's work and Beiyue dressed in her best clothes, wearing salmon-pink clothes with gold embroidery over her white tunic.

'Alrighty! Everything's good to go.' said Beiyue. 'All that's left now is to buy high-class wine for guests. Well, welcomed guests, that is.' Beiyue snorted derisively. 'Do the necessary guest-list shopping while I drop some paperwork off uncle, alright?'

'Yes miss!' and the two used Shunpo to leave the mansion.

Beiyue made a beeline not for the palace, but for outside the city, to Misty Forest.

Hogyoku said she should find something of great value that will benefit her in a particular location. Just that, she should become its blood owner first by dropping blood on it.

She picked up the treasure called Black Jade of Boundless Beasts. Just having it will make ANY beast listen to you by using its power while taming a beast to become your summon even without having to form Life Pacts.

"Yosh, I got it!" and Beiyue then returned to the city to pay her uncle a visit. She has a 'visit anytime' card, no need to set up appointments and the whole she-bang.

So she snuck around and went straight to the office where uncle does paperwork.

'Ohhh! Beiyue! Welcome back!' the man beamed in delight as Beiyue found herself doted on.

His way of doting, Beiyue felt she liked. She really felt loved.

'How you've grown my dear! But you could have visited in those four years!' the Emperor complained.

'Sorry uncle but loads to do and I'm just by myself.' Beiyue said wryly, taking out a gift, an expensive wine made out of grapes as wines here so far were rice wine. 'Here, a wine made out of grapes!'

'Come to think of it, you're starting to export wine made out of fruit lately.' the Emperor smiled. His sister's daughter keeps springing out new products.

'Well I'm not a half-billion princess for nothing!' Beiyue grinned. 'I made it in time for the upcoming exams.'

'Mm. Come to think of it, what level are you now? You kept your progress secret.' said the Emperor. 'All you said was Huiwen found someone to help you with your...disability and sent you to them. So as far as our people know...' he said with a pained expression. 'Prove them wrong Beiyue.' he made her promise. It pains him that while she made progress, people still think she's useless!

'I promise Uncle. I'll let loose in the Admissions Exams.' Beiyue promised him. 'Now I'm just wondering what courses I should take. Everything bores me I'd rather be a landlord full-time.' she complained to him. 'I'm a busy lady! I have no time to mingle about with brats who don't know responsibility!' the Emperor and his attendants sputtered at her choice of words. A girl her age, would rather work than be a young maiden her age?! Unheard of!

'Now now, everyone must go to Lingyang my dear girl, even I went there.' the Emperor tried to encourage her to choose school again. Beiyue just looked sulky.

'Oh, boo. And what of unwanted arrangements?' that was code for Beiyue NOT wanting to be engaged to anybody!

'Ohoho! Worry not, you're as free as a bird!'

xxx

And so...

The Admissions Exams...

All young masters and young misses came to take their admissions exams.

Nobody recognized Beiyue because nobody's seen her for ages. Hasn't even had her social debut yet but they would know of her name...and her unfortunate reputation.

She had applied for Enchantment Course. Not that they know that yet.

First before Admissions Exams were measuring one's Ki and making everyone feel how strong they are at full force, something akin to Reiatsu. Everyone, even seniors do this first before the paperwork to the desks behind them Ten at a time as there's about over 800 people in Lingyang College. Newcomers and upperclassmen.

But of course, you get called by status first. But for royals...one at a time.

The first to be called was Prince Jing. A known 7-star Summoner. The Crystal Balls before them that they are to touch, measures their strength and showing their elemental attributes. Having one alone was amazing as only people with elemental attributes, can become Summoners. And the rarer the better. Not to mention, only people with the Earth Attribute, can become a Pharmacist. He was a Wood Attribute.

Next was Crown Prince Zhanye. He was a powerful 9-star Summoner of the Flame Attribute, known for having the Purple Fire Kirin that did wonders to his cultivation. But everyone naturally endured the strength of the royalty.

Third was Third Prince Shigu. He is apparently close to being a Gold-Class Warrior.

Fourth was Princess Yingye. She is about to break through to Silver Class-B.

'Huang Beiyue!'

'Huang Beiyue?!'

'Isn't she a known waste?'

'It's pointless to make her do the spiritual test, she can't cultivate, right?'

'Hah, so she came back.' Xiao Zhongqi scoffed.

'This is a waste of time.' Xiao Rou scoffed condescendingly, doing an armfold as a young and immensely beautiful girl with icy-white skin came forward, raising the sleeve of her right arm to show smooth skin over a slender arm.

'Uwaaah!'

'So beautiful!' Xiao Yun and Rou just harrumphed. So what? Useless is useless!

When she faced the crowd, her face was seen, shown to have natural red-matte lips with a cold look of indifference. Dainty hands with straight fingers and manicured nails touched the crystal ball...

The effects were immediate. Everyone cringed as her strength is now a publicly-known 9-star.

"If I didn't seal myself, I'd have killed the whole room!" Beiyue thought as everyone cringed as her element, was darkness due to what she was in her old life. Then there's Yan! The red tinge in her ki, was because of him, but oh well, better that, than pure black!

'It's a rare Darkness element!'

'Whoaaa!'

In order of Commonality to Rarity, it's Fire, Water, Wood, Air, Metal, Earth, Light and Darkness.

For the so-called waste to be a Dark-Attribute of all things?!

'What?!' the Xiao children squawked as Beiyue did the example of her older cousins who were looking at her, wide-eyed and shell-shocked as she wrote down her paperwork.

"She's a known waste and yet...she's actually this strong?!"

...and she went in next door without saying a word.

'...and she left just like that.' Yingye squeaked. As if, nobody's not around!

xxx

Exams Room in the Enchantment Course...

'Just one came to this course this year?!' the teacher looked ready to cry. Beiyue sweatdropped.

'Ah iya, everyone's still in the first phase.' the examiner looked relieved. He's clearly a teacher in the Enchantment Course. 'I just came ahead, so can I have my exams ahead, teacher?' Beiyue piped up. 'I'm a busy landlady so I want a lot of things done and a lot of paperwork to dump on royal uncle's desk by the time I'm through. Can that be possible?'

'Ah no, everyone must take their exams at the exact same time, so wait for everyone else to fill this classroom. You may have an early break if you like.'

'Alright.'

Beiyue took out hobby-making items. She took a blob? Er, block of wood, whatever, and a small carving knife. The wood was pretty big.

She had been carving since she was ten, when her hands are strong enough to deal with a carving knife and a chisel for this hobby. And she was doing it so fast it comes as blurs.

Soon, newcomers began coming in. Kids her age in fact.

They who come in, look at her in awe.

Those who knew each other sat together and began whispering about the girl in front.

'Mm! Exactly 40 people. We can now begin the Written Entrance Exams.' said the Examiner as he began distributing paper. Once everyone has a paper, he said, 'Take out your writing materials, and you may begin. And once you are done, turn your paper over so nobody sees your answers and await your next examiner after an hour, so its fine to leave your paper here. Students who fail to finish within an hour, fail by default.' While others took out ink bottles and a brush, Beiyue took out a brush pen instead, AND a bottle of ink. Its a creation of hers as it's hard for one's shoulders and one side of the back, if you have to do paperwork while writing delicately with an effing brush.

It's not mass-produced yet, she was still making better and better models BEFORE she can have it mass-produced.

The exam was an Essay-Type. The upper left corner says Name and under the name was Applied Grade. On the upper right was Score. And the question being: How do you see and visualize Enchantment?

And given how the paper is as long as a sheet of small bond paper, Beiyue knew she has to go all out now, in a size 14 font using her brush pen as it's impossible to write smaller letters. People here write with brush, not ballpoints or fountain pens. A pain in the ass.

So she wrote:

Enchantment is a sorcery-oriented martial art that puts someone or something under a spell.  
They have the power to manipulate certain means of magic to accomplish their goals. Universally,  
the definition of an 'enchanter' varies. One makes enchanted items such as Space Rings or other  
magical tools, while others use beauty to enrapture others in a vulnerable state, or create illusions  
to control an enemy's senses by creating false images dealt through the mind. It is even possible  
to control minds of others through Enchantment. But things are not limited there: others can even  
control elements by use of sorcery through Elemental Seals and effect varies by grade.

While most people use spells by 'textbook example', its possible as well to tweak the spells creatively  
to produce more effects out of a single spell. In the end, it all lies within one's creativity. One cannot  
call themselves an Enchanter or Enchantress if they don't have high creative levels and a wide imagination,  
seeing that possibilities are endless. To be an Enchanter, one must not be limited to the conformations  
and beliefs of the past, and instead, seek out new potential and possibilities to create something greater  
and stronger as time passes by for knowledge evolves in time as well.

Phew, that filled her paper. Barely. Effing size 14! But she has no choice as it's the smallest font size she can get to STILL make her handwriting legible. In fact, all her documents' lettering are of that size which she keeps in uniform as of two years ago when she decided, 'Fuck writing with fucking brushes!'

While Japanese have hiragana and katakana accompanying kanji, Chinese are all words! She turned over her paper after using a small fan to fan her paper dry of ink, before turning it over.

When everyone was done, it was an hour and soon, the next examiner came.

'Students follow me to the Firing Range.' he said. 'Come quickly now.'

And so, the students followed the man, leaving the first examiner to pick their papers.

xxx

Firing Range...

'Alright,' said the examiner. 'Your next exam, is that we start the test a basic energy ball spell. As you can see, the range is pretty far. About 25 meters for beginners like yourself.' he said. 'We will test the energy ball you'll fire, based on factors; how long you can maintain the spell's power, how fast you fire it and keep its form the further away it is from you. Enchantment Course not just makes magical items, we are also sorcerers.' he told them. 'In battle, Sorcery is our livelihood. In fact, our range represents how close you are to the enemy. We will begin in groups of five, in the order you are seated at your written exams an hour ago. Let's begin.'

Since Beiyue sat at front in the middle, she stood with four others.

'One by one now! Starting with the girl on the very left!'

Yup, two kids before her turn.

And she was relieved that spells here need no incantations.

You just have to visualize it, apply power and the process, and execute!

Soul Society's Kido, Kaido and Bakudo have incantations that are VERY CRINGE-WORTHY, something a Chuunibyou would do in an Otaku-Convention. Even in the living world, anime alone...brrrr!

When her turn came...

'Ooh, Princess Beiyue's next!'

'She came out a 9-star level!'

'The next genius after Crown Prince!'

"Original Beiyue, I really feel for you right now." Beiyue thought, feeling sorry for the young girl who was killed just so she'd take over. But in a cruel world like this, she's perhaps, better off born to a commoner family as commoners are far kinder, and no pressure to their children in learning martial arts. From the leftover memories she got, she was universally mocked derisively for her inability to perform. Alone and friendless, if not for their mother, uncle, grandmother, and Royal Aunt Princess Xihe. The only people who truly loved her until Huiwen took in Dongling to be her personal maid and friend.

The original Beiyue cannot cultivate, and a timid, meek coward but a kind soul who disgusted everyone just by existing. The current Beiyue, is Kurosaki Ichigo. War Hero twice over who's willing to fight anyone who dared mess with her family and her peaceful life.

Beiyue conjured an energy ball, and fired it.

She gained the experience of her Hollow Self in forming Ceros...but...BOOM! Large hole behind the decimated target!

'Erm, Princess, you might want to tone down a little...' the examiner choked out, wide-eyed.

'Sorry teacher but that was me holding back.' said Beiyue in a deadpan. 'If I went all out _you'll be rebuilding the whole range and exams delayed_.'

Awkward silence ensued.

xxx

After Firing Range test, was crafting a magical item. That's their last exam.

They were taken to a laboratory. They have an hour to choose their wares and tools, and the rest of the day to make it and demonstrate how useful it is for society or to oneself.

Beiyue simply remade her brush-pen and the first to demonstrate. Her pen has an automatic refilling function simply by activating a spell put on the ruby she put on her pen, and the pen's brush tip will turn into a metal suction tube to suck ink to refill itself and when full, will turn back into a brush tip. The pen alerts user that it's about to run out of ink, by blinking light on the gem. By that, it means you don't have enough ink to write a whole sentence anymore!

'Been using it on my paperwork as a landlady, saved me aching shoulders and I can write in comfort.'

xxx

During Practical Exams...

The written exams in Imperial College, and the Warrior Exams and Summoning Exams long over. The only exams ongoing left in East College, was Enchantment and Pharmacist Courses.

At Xiao Residence...

...the first to know that Huang Beiyue has returned and in fact, came back powerful, were Concubines Qin and Xue who in turn told their husband, Xiao Yuancheng.

'That little loser is back with power now!' Concubine Qin scowled. 'So now what?'

'What even is Darkness element? Surely it won't threaten our childrens' positions...?' Xue asked anxiously while to herself, "That little bitch ran off with important documents that could have gotten us a lot of money by now!" the plan was to put that brat in her place, while they take control of Qinghe and Miyang's annual revenues for themselves but she was a no-show at the Funeral. In fact, nobody can find what they need to gain the authority through 'regency' while unknown even to the rest of the clan, Xue will poison her to a slow death so nobody will suspect a thing.

But how should she know that, that tart Huiwen sent Beiyue away beforehand with the things they want?!

'I'll talk to Beiyue tonight when she comes back.' said Yuancheng. 'She didn't return with the others so she must be in the Enchantment Course.' he said. 'Let's see if the mansion is open. It should be easy to deal with a maid.'

'Let's do that!' said Qin as they went to Princess Royal's Mansion that now has tall, blooming trees when before, those trees weren't there!

"She's here! Since when?!" they knocked on the gate, but it's closed. Yuancheng jumped up after channeling ki to his legs to see a marvelous garden when last he checked, the gardens weren't like this before! The huge pond was gone, instead, much of it now was a lawn and a smaller pond with a waterfall. The gardens now have flowers instead! And one maid was tending to the flowers by watering them with a watering can. He tried jumping into the garden but found himself freezing mid-fall...and flung back out!

'Aah!'

'My lord!'

'...the security's in effect but I saw a maid in there!' Yuancheng swore. 'The garden's also changed.'

'We knocked on the door, can't they hear us!' Qin growled crossly.

'She can't. She didn't even see or hear me!'

'We'll try again when she gets back.' said Concubine Xue. 'Perhaps security will lower when she's at home?'

Not that they have a choice. So angrily, they went back to their residences.

Though in the next few days, they tried and failed to get inside...


	3. Lesson Learned

Lesson Learned

After exam day...

All noble families know now, that Huang Beiyue is back.

The girl who was once a known waste, is back beautiful and powerful with a rare element to match, and carried herself with the dignity of a royal.

'Father, did you know that she's back?' Yingye asked her father as after the exams, was dinnertime.

'Oh, I've known.' the Emperor smiled. 'She visited me earlier this morning in my office, giving me a new product of her province as a gift and we had a long catch-up. She's still the sweet girl I've known when she was little.'

"Sweet? That?" the royal children thought when back at the exams, she was as cool as cucumber and didn't look at anybody!

'Truth be told, she originally didn't want to go to Lingyang, wanting to focus full time on being Landlady of two provinces.' said the Emperor. 'However, by adding school on top of that as I convinced her to go, she dropped Miyang back in my care and kept Qinghe or she'll go crazy from too much work. She developed two provinces to the extent that for the past two and half years, she was a half-billion princess.'

'Well, handling one province is already a lot of work.' said Zhanye. 'But all these years she took care of two provinces...how did she pull that off without a sore back?'

Writing with a brush. For hours. How?!

'Well, she said it's sheer determination or she'll never get to sleep.'

xxx

By nighttime...

It was dinnertime WHEN exams ended for the other two courses.

'Man, it's over.' Beiyue sighed as students left the labs. 'Tomorrow will be exam results.' upon leaving, she saw Urahara watching from afar. "Urahara?!" she quickly zipped to his side.

'Your new form is pretty cute now Ichigo-chan.' Urahara grinned with a beaming smile as a very beautiful girl among the bunch of students used Shunpo to subtly reach him, a clue this girl was Ichigo's new self. Beiyue even missed hearing Japanese being spoken. 'You live as a princess now in some chinese-like world. Huang Beiyue, was it?'

'Traveling interdimensionally now?' Beiyue snorted. 'How'd you pull that off, you crazy old man?' she asked doing an armfold. 'And study chinese so when you visit again, you have a cover at least.'

'Well, I fed my reiryoku to Hogyoku down to the last drop so right now I'm in a gigai but also a defenseless man.' said Urahara so Beiyue took Urahara to an empty pavilion in Xiao Estate so they could talk safely at that.

'So you came to visit huh? How are things? It's been four years Urahara.' Beiyue spoke to him as they sat on the floor.

'I only have 20 minutes, and I can only visit once a year, so I prepared a lot of gifts in advance.' said Urahara, giving Beiyue a Space Ring. 'In these four years since your...death on the other side...'

Mentor and student have a lot to talk about.

Things have changed oh-so-much indeed. That, and Beiyue comforted her old mentor who had been harboring guilt for what he had done. Everyone thinks she got killed when in reality, he chucked her to another world to keep her away from Ichibee and Kyoraku even if Yhwach's body now took on the role of Soul King. At least, for all his atrocities, the bastard actually deserved a fate worse than death. The previous Soul King and Ichigo? They both didn't deserve it.

It took their friends and her family a long while, to get over her death. Then there's this crap Tsunayashiro Tokinada pulled a year after her death, before everyone got their normal lives back, finally rebuilding after the wars.

Sure, they beat the Soul King's Left Arm and Heart, but turns out his Soul Chain also gained its own form, in the form of Fullbringer Michibane Aura who worked with Tokinada, further cementing proof that Soul King sees Shinigami as enemies for what they have done to him millions of years ago.

But with Mimihagi's death in Yhwach's hands, the Soul King's curse of hate on Soul Society ended as well, that they can FINALLY progress instead of remaining culturally in a Heian-Era-esque world with 'scraps of developments' that only came to be because of Urahara and Kurotsuchi. On Beiyue's wish, Urahara spoke specific truths, in order to push a change in Soul Society once they all paid for the Original Sin of their ancestors and to record these truths, so that nobody repeats the mistakes of the past again.

By the time she told him she forgave him long ago as she learned to adjust to her new life, his twenty minutes were up.

'A visit once a year, huh? Not bad at all.' Beiyue mused. 'I can no longer come back home anyway.' but upon taking the Space Ring, she got excited.

At her bedroom...it was a ton of completed manga sets, and various notebooks Urahara had written over time for her since he got wind she's an aspiring inventor on the side. And photos of her family and friends. But even she knew some modern tech cannot be allowed in this world. Oh, no no no!

Sado, Orihime and Uryu are now College Sophomores. Her twin sisters recently graduated Junior High and now attending Karakura High too and all grown-up now. Karin grew her hair long at last...because she wanted to look cute for Toshiro! Poor Captain never weathered down the teasing and Karin finally had her first love before Yuzu did. At least Ichigo can trust Toshiro.

A year after Tokinada's mayhem, Rukia and Renji, the two childhood friends married. How that happened, was beyond everyone and they all wondered how Renji convinced Byakuya to give Rukia to him. What'd he DO? She's now Abarai-taicho of the 13th Division at any rate, after mastering her Bankai and lives in a comfortable home for four people Byakuya built them. He would have given them a mansion but 1) Rukia was never comfortable in all her years in the Kuchiki Mansion because it was too big for her and 2) Renji was just as uncomfortable and both grew up in Rukongai, so they're fine and dandy with a 'normal sized house', thanks! Rukia took to learning how to do chores from Yuzu thus after doing paperwork, she visits the human world for lessons.

Zaraki realized that his lieutenant was actually his sword's spirit manifesting all this time as 'Kusajishi Yachiru' whom he cared for like a daughter. Took him a while to get used to that and having Bankai just made him all the more horrifying an enemy in battle, making Beiyue glad she's AWAY from him as he liked to ask her to fight him. She wasn't sure if she can beat the bastard as she barely won last time!

'Those days are gone. Forever.' she mused softly. Her heart stinging as she missed everyone and their antics.

At least she can have these treasures Urahara left her.

"I better go home, Dongling's probably worried."

xxx

'Miss, it's a bit late I was getting worried.' yup, Dongling's worried.

'Ahhh sorry Dongling but I got to get governmental stuff up to date for a bit, since I officially dropped out of being Miyang's landlord and all.' said Beiyue with a sheepish grin. 'Well, let's eat now. Anything happen while I'm gone?'

'Someone knocked on our gates and I felt our barrier throw someone out, so I didn't bother.'

'They're not welcome guests any day, but I do have a job for you.' said Beiyue with a grin. 'Let's talk about that over dinner. Hehe...' she wore a smirk that would've made her Hollow proud.

She DID merge with her Zanpakuto after all.

xxx

Come next morning...

'Princess Huang Beiyue! Your Exam Results from Lingyang School!' a man called out, so Dongling who was responsible for security went to check it out. It was indeed an errand boy.

In the meantime, public results are also posted in Bugiel Bazaar so commoners can know who are their country's future powerhouses.

'Hmm...I'm in.' said Beiyue nonchalantly as she carelessly tossed away her result card and it flopped feebly to the floor.

'You don't sound too enthused about getting in our country's most prestigious school.' Dongling deadpanned as she put breakfast on the table. A bowl of rice, bowl of soup and three sides, with pickles. Like a proper Japanese Meal should be.

'Ehhh, a pain in the ass!' Beiyue grumbled in childish petulance, elbows on table, chin on laced fingers. 'I'm a full-time landlady and an entrepreneur! I have no time mingling with spoiled, damn brats who can't even wipe their own ass after crapping in a chamber pot!' Beiyue snarked snidely. 'Probably can't even fuckin' peel a fruit to feed themselves.'

'Miss...' Dongling sweatdropped. Since her mother's death, she gained two sides to her personality in a bid to change herself and be strong when the old miss was a shy, timid, gentle soul derided by everyone.

'Her Beiyue'. A side only Dongling knows as personal maid aside, she was also her only, closest friend and Dongling was a very privileged friend, having gotten education and training only people can DREAM of, as well as access to cosmetic pills. 'This' Beiyue is very outspoken, crass, hot-headed, stubborn and strong-willed to the point of impulsiveness. And it gets worse when she's stressed and it shows with how she lets herself go at home to de-stress. However, she also has a complex sense of honor, applied by both personas.

'Princess Beiyue' is a side she only shows to the public, capable of politics and as she herself puts it, 'go passive-aggressive bitch mode wrapped in flowers' to anyone who tried cheating her off of deals. To commoners she's a known kind and gentle girl just like her mother. She also gives chances...if deserved. Be good to her, she'll be good to you back. She repays how she is treated as she would say, 'do unto others what you want done unto you, and do not do unto others what you do not want done unto you'.

Those kids enrolled in Twilight Palace - the school she built? Why, she handpicked them all, using spells to ensure they have no 'evil personalities' as she is fully aware of the true nature of Concubine Xue, a girl her mother took in who later betrayed her. She will only allow good people to 'gain' the privileges she sponsors. Evil people will get nothing from her, ever.

Yes, Princess works, can even clean and cook. Just that, for Dongling to still function as a maid, she leaves the chores to her.

But Dongling wasn't just an ordinary maid...

She's a maid with one hell of an education and training, that she reached Divine-Class Cultivation as her miss puts it.

In her miss' opinion, there should be three stages with nine levels each.

Spirit Class which is what everyone commonly knows. But Princess Royal is more than a 9-Star Summoner even before her death. Beiyue felt there should be two more classes.

Scholars deemed Princess Royal's immense strength 'Arcane Class'.

Beiyue's words?

'So stupid!' she burst out laughing. 'If it starts with 'spirit', why bring the term back to the living realm as 'arcane' implies 'sorcery of the living' when we're all using ki? The next stage should be Divine Class, also 9 levels and after that Deity Class! Sounds appropriate!'

Dongling was a 5-star Divine Class as is her mistress, and their students. Just that, they have to keep that under wraps. And why unable to progress further? Because the pills and reagents needed to grow further are still YET to be discovered. So right now as much as Beiyue hates to admit it, reaching Deity-Class might just be a pipe dream, nevermind 6th stage of Divine Class.

So some of their graduates were tasked to discover new ingredients in teams of three to bring to her in Linhuai City for her to study when they hit a 100 different species quota, while 9 people stay behind to be new teachers to a new generation, teaching and training them like how Beiyue trained all **101 of them**. 100 students she handpicked all over Qinghe at age 10, and Dongling was no. 101.

Beiyue was 8 years old, she 10, and her fellow 100 students were also 10 years old. Upon getting to Qinghe, Beiyue immediately built Twilight Palace outside Jingkang City, the Capital City of Qinghe. Then some housekeeping employees and cooks, had them trained in their jobs under Dongling's supervision while Beiyue roamed for the first 100 kids. And they all trained for four years, with access to precious resources for their cultivation. Just HOW her miss did it all, was a mystery.

However, they are to NEVER flaunt off their powers. EVER. If anyone asks, it's always '9-star levels.'

Beiyue is extremely picky with those she trains. She will only ever train students who have good morals, virtues and a great sense of justice and righteousness, loyal only to her and her chosen Emperor of Nanyi Country. If people find out how students turn out in her Twilight Palace, loads of people, much of whom she doesn't want, to mob the Palace wanting an in! She will never accept people on the evil side no matter how much they beg.

After they both had breakfast, they heard another knocking. The two girls sighed as with a gesture from Beiyue, Dongling used shunpo to reach the gates.

'Yes?'

It was a maid from the Xiao Residence who was stunned with Dongling's looks.

Is this a maid?!

Dongling has a very feminine beauty when most people have both male and female facial beauty by parental resemblance. Very lustrously-vibrant pink hair. The fairest peach complexion with smooth skin. Long, thick eyelashes and rosy-pink lips. Her bust size being a full C. She also has narrow shoulders. Her uniform is comprised of a white inner garment, pink outer garment and orange wrap-around skirt version of a maid uniform.

The maid felt very inferior compared to Dongling. Sure she has a pretty face, but how can she compare?

'The Master wants to talk to that waste, so tell her to hurry up and move it!' said the maid with a grumble.

Dongling twitched and sent the rude maid back black and blue.

'How about a NO as he can't even be bothered to go through proper procedures, that uneducated inbred!' Dongling yelled. 'Miss is the MISTRESS of this household and he sent an uneducated messenger without even a single notice?!'

And so...

'That maid of hers beat me!' the maid cried. 'Something about proper procedures!'

Yuancheng looked at the beaten maid. He ordered for the maid to get treatment.

'Fine, we'll do it as she wants. For now.' said Yuancheng gruffly. The girl is now powerful AND aware of her status, position and privileges. She's not the useless fool they used to know anymore.

'Seriously?!' Qin complained.

'Right now, yes.' Yuancheng grunted. 'If what the kids say is true, she's even stronger than father now.'

Senior Master Xiao Qiyuan, is currently an 8-Star Summoner with a 12th-Ranked Fire Leopard. And witnessed by all, declared by Lingyang School, her ki level is that of a 9-star and Gold Warrior Master equivalent.

That means Beiyue is the strongest person in the family. Now they HAVE to respect her?!

'I recall that Huiwen sent Beiyue away the day before she died.' he said. 'She must have sent her to a tutor she hired for her.' the concubines stiffened at the obvious implications while secretly, Concubine Fang smirked.

"That means you can't exploit that poor girl as you used to!" she thought in contempt.

In this family, she was the first wife and concubine. Yuancheng used to care for her.

Her sole misfortune, were the newcomers in Qi Qin the daughter of Prime Minister Qi, and Xuelin who was some peasant girl in Miyang. While Fang knew her place as is proper from her upbringing, the other two were power-hungry social climbers and influenced Yuancheng to evil even more. Bad enough when in his time with just her, she was a comfort woman because at the time, she was the clan's most beautiful maid until she got pregnant, thus by law, she must be a Concubine.

Princess Royal who was the second woman through betrothal, was too nice and too generous, something these evil women exploited to their advantage and then disrespected a high-statused woman behind her back when their status was lower than dirt compared to hers.

Fang prided herself on keeping her morals and virtues as a wife intact and she bore all indignity with grace. She just wished he never fancied her when they were young. She did her best in raising Ling, but alas, she wasn't...too bright...and no ambition whatsoever beyond living a life of comfort. Thank goodness for Concubine Privileges otherwise they'd be a forgotten existence altogether!

Fang has a retinue of servants, each concubine allowed four attendants. Each concubine having a monthly allowance of 10000 gold for use for their benefits.

She feared that had Huiwen not sent Beiyue away, poor girl will be exploited, bled dry and kept downtrodden, ignorant of her rights. Goodness knows Qin and Xue had a taste for luxury...they clearly do not deserve.

xxx

Nightfall...

'Mm, this time they did it right. Quick learners.' said Dongling curtly to the nervous manservant whom she looked at with a steely gaze, after looking at the notice she was given. 'Wait here for ten minutes. I'll have miss see this.' and she shut the gate.

Dongling went to Beiyue's office to find her lady doing paperwork as usual. 'Miss, they sent a notice of appointment this time.'

'Well whaddya know? You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.' Beiyue snorted in amusement with a smirk as Dongling held back laughter, coming out as a choke. 'Lemme see that shit.' she said, holding out her hand and Dongling gave her the notice.

_Third Daughter,_

_We wish to see you after breakfast tomorrow at your residence,_  
_regarding the 4 years long gap of absence. We will arrive as soon_  
_as breakfast ends. We await your reply._

_Xiao Master,_  
_Xiao Yuancheng_

'Heh, looks like time for entertainment, Dongling.' Beiyue smirked. 'We'll be up a little early tomorrow and let's prepare some hospitality. It's a waste of resources, but alas, I must reflect my social status. It's wasted on them, what a pain in the ass. Tell the flunky that they're welcome to come tomorrow.'

With that, Beiyue knew this is gonna be interesting.


	4. Family 'Talk'

Family 'Talk'

The next day...

Beiyue woke up early just for a bath.

Then wore her best casual dress Dongling pressed last night and magically did her hair. Half-ponytail divided into six twisted loops with fancy ornate haircombs and pins. Dongling's busy cooking breakfast and a quick shower for herself.

Upon smelling fresh-flowery, not the sickeningly-sweet, nauseating perfumes most women are fond of these days, she's ready for war.

After breakfast, they set up the venue. A long table in order of importance, and small bowls of finger-food pickles.

She avoids salted pickles, favoring stuff made out of sugar, vinegar, and nuka. She has in her repertoire Narazuke, Gari(without salt), Takuan, Fukujinzuke, and Rakkyo. To mass produce them quickly, she cheats with magic, rapidly speeding up the process just so they hit the shelves sooner, after putting up posts in stores she opened in HOW to consume the pickles without getting flavor overload.

And so...

They came.

The garden smelled strongly of Osmanthus, courtesy of her magic. Normally osmanthus isn't this strong, but if momentarily augmented with magic, the plants will produce stronger perfume.

Two scents permeated the garden. Ylang Ylang at six feet and up as Yuancheng and Zhongqi are quite tall as well as Qin and Xue, and Osmanthus below 5'8 feet which is the height of her not-really-siblings.

They all looked at the long table with white linen with exquisite embroidery at the hem, well-carved polished ebony chairs with padded cushioning, the cushions also embroidered. On the table was a teaset with a large teapot, and large bowls of...what are those?

The garden was full of white and orange flowers as well as yellow ones.

'Well now, take your seats, in order of seniority.' Beiyue instructed as she sat on a throne-like armchair. 'And we'll start this little chat.'

'What are these things?' Ling, impulsive as ever warily eyed the pickles, being a solely meat-eater unlike her solely-vegan mom.

'They're a new product of Qinghe I mass-produced for sale. Pickled Vegetables.' Ling made a face at that, akin to 'Eek, a mouse!' 'Sold all over by now and I get letters that they're popular in taverns as a drinking snack. Eat them by nibbles though. They're strongly-flavored.'

'Oh my, I hope they're delicious!' said Fang in delight, anticipating the new flavors. Beiyue smiled at her kindly, before her smile changed to predatory businessman.

'They are if paired with a mouthful of rice. On their own they're strong with a strong first-impression which is why I said slowly nibble...oh yes, if eaten in bulk, hopefully you're near a lavatory...they also work well for _cleaning our guts after a little stomach ache_. Good for constipation relief and no eating them for three days before a long trip or risk doing the dirty where a Spirit Beast can peek-a-boo anytime. I made sure to put that warning out when I first exported them for sale after handing out free taste-testing province-wide.'

'Ehehehe noted...' said Fang sheepishly.

'A-ahem.' Yuancheng coughed, wanting to end the sales pitch or it'll go on forever as Dongling began distributing the pickles by type in even amounts by pairs using chopsticks, Ling pushing hers to her mother who was fine and dandy with having it in pleasure. The others reluctantly tried some. 'Beiyue, you have been in Qinghe for four years?'

'Yes. Mother decided its about high time I get to know my inheritance that Royal Uncle bestowed upon me.' said Beiyue. 'She hired Mr. Puyuan Xizhu(Urahara Kisuke), a scholar she met when abroad. He's a trickster sink-or-swim mentor but without him I wouldn't be one hell of a respected landlady worth half a billion gold as of two years ago.' the Xiao Clan froze as if thunderstruck. This means they can't trick her into handing over her authority! 'And then by the time I get there, I get news that she suddenly died so I had to inquire.' she said with a steely gaze despite her smile.

'Fufu, mother's an enviable existence...beautiful, intellectually-accomplished in academics, feminine arts, martial arts and a Divine-Class Summoner. Nobody can compare to her, not even a man.' this was a subtle jab to Qin and Xue who did well in masking how struck they were because indeed, how can their status compare! 'And loved by all walks of life because she was humble, virtuous and generous, even willing to mingle with commoners and treat them like longtime friends when nobles think they stink the air they breathe. Some bastard must've gotten petty and jealous and pulled a dirty trick just to make himself top dog again since he's worthless with her star shining about.'

'Y-you don't mean Assassination?!' Yuancheng sputtered as the women and sons stiffened.

'Mother's healthy, and Prince Xiaoyao regularly gives her supplements as a gift since he dotes on her since they were young, long before he became a Heaven-Class Pharmacist. Then she dies of illness? Prince Xiaoyao can never be a suspect.' she drawled with a raised eyebrow. 'Assassination was the only conclusion after I looked at all angles.' Beiyue grinned, all teeth and even more predatory, her eyes glowing an eerie blood red and her sclerae turning black, including applying subtle reiatsu that caused chills, spooking the family.

'Talk about pathetic of that wimp. It can only be a man. In our culture in the past before we got into a war-torn world for about 500 years, only men can look good even if some girls are more competent academics wise as back then, women aren't allowed to practice. The time came that when womens' talents shone, the culture had to change in order to keep up militaristically and we gained an edge in the battlefield. Particularly when mother came to be with that dragon of hers.'

'War honors, accolades, praises overshadowed theirs. However, Empress Dowager stepped on a hundred toes when she had mother marry the young Xiao Master as tons of people had been hounding Royal Uncle and Grand Empress Dowager for her hand. That was that pathetic wimp's chance to get what he wants to get back at royal grandmother. Who he is, I do not know yet. But I'm getting there.'

If one was politically-savvy capable of translation: "How can Empress Dowager marry off Princess Royal to a mere Military Duwei not even a nobleman and not any of us blue-blooded men?!" however, they fail to catch on.

'You're saying...that men about father's age are innocent, so it's older men and any one of them are the culprits?!' Zhongqi sputtered out. Yuancheng knew he's innocent and he was glad he was out of the suspect list Beiyue made for herself.

'Precisely. Particularly gender-bigoted men who still thinks all women are useful for is breeding babies in bed and serving their husbands on hand and foot with the mentality of doormats and sadly, high-ranking. Such mentality today is obsolete, not to mention today's women capable of martial arts will not hesitate to retaliate against such treatment so they are thankfully a dying breed. So older sisters and one younger sister...what do you imagine your future husband to be? And how can you be sure that while you aim to marry up, you won't luck out with a dying specie? Hey, sons learn from fathers. Monkey-see monkey do.' she snorted with a handwave.

'How about you, how can you be so sure?' Qin asked snarkily with a raised eyebrow.

'Fufu, I know everyone I dealt with in court. I can tell how they treat their women by how they treat me during a bi-annual meeting of Landlords. That's enough character-screening for me.' Beiyue chuckled darkly while maintaining her princess persona as other than predatory smiles, she wears a seemingly innocent one, but darkly-tinged. 'Its a rather hilarious sight when I present my reports with physical proof. That I, a so-called brat, is capable of doubling the annual income of two counties when they had trouble with businesses much less increase their annual revenues...it's rather vindicating~!' she laughed with a self-satisfied look on her face.

"Miss' sadist side is coming out." Dongling sighed.

"She's clearly enjoying herself!"

"Since when did she become a sadist?!"

'I see, not only are you doing well, but you figured that much out.' Yuancheng mused while taking a bite of a random pickle he pickled and even as a nibble, he could tell that one must really eat small when eating these...pickles! And Fang's TOO happy eating all these...WHOLE! Not only that, she took control of the conversation!

'Of course. That was the only way a pathetic wimp with a short, limp sword can compensate to make himself feel a winner.' did she just seriously say that?! 'But alas, people more superior than he are making their debut even before Crown Prince was born~he's an obsolete antique~doomed to be left behind, forever.' she said in mockingly condescending words. 'Does he seriously think he can keep assassinate youngsters better than him just to maintain his top dog spot? The law will catch on and it'll be the extinction of his clan via Third-Generational Punishment.'

'After all, superior talents are worth more than an insecure, obsolete old man and superior talents are needed more than they need him as all our countries are in a state of Cold War...and any time, war will break out again in the near future should a country's ruler decide he's top dog and start a fire. Royal Uncle WILL wonder where the superior talents went, when he heard of them before...surely families saying they died from mysterious accidents will get him investigating.'

This was her attack to the man behind Concubine Xue. But whether she'll mail him is up for debate.

'So, how did you enjoy my pickles?'

What's with that question?!

And she hasn't even changed her eyes back yet!

'It's wonderful~' Fang swooned, making everyone else look at her in shock. Did she not catch the atmosphere at all?!

'Lady Fang finished everything...' Dongling croaked out as the serving bowls are all empty! The only ones untouched, were small plates with leftovers. 'She kept asking for seconds!' Beiyue supposed she was glad her pickles have no salt content as she modified ones that needed soy sauce and soy sauce has salt! Evident by crystals appearing when it dries up!

'Aiya...in four hours or so, you're gonna feel it so be near a lavatory and make sure you drink lots of water to help things along.' (later that day, Fang suffered comically)

'I also feel strangely...refreshed in the mouth even though they're so sour-sweet!'

'Ah, they're also palate cleansers after all...gut detoxification aside, if eaten after each course, your tongue is cleansed, prepared for new flavors instead of aftertaste mixing over. They're not just snacks for drunks. It's meant to be eaten after each course of meal.'

'So, any questions?'

'Puyuan Xizhu...who on earth is this man?' Yuancheng asked her. 'I haven't heard of him.'

'From what mother would tell me, that grampa's a scholar in search of new species for pharmacy. He retired as a pharmacist to spend his remaining lifespan in search of new ingredients, but he's also well-versed in martial arts, business and politics. He was from a nomadic clan picking up stuff here and there with extreme wanderlust mother gave him ten favors he asked for for his journey after training me. This is his clan symbol he pretty-much tattooed on me with a hot poker as a sign I graduated.' with a circular motion on her finger, her left sleeve tore a hole, to show a burn scar of a symbol she asked of Urahara for her use. It's an illusion though! Like hell she'll burn herself!

'Mm...' Beiyue mended the hold by making a reverse circular finger wave.

'Ma, he isn't famous. How can he be despite his skill as he wanders too much before people can know his name and skill? His wanderlust is so strong he can't even get married. Those ten favors to get him to stay put for my education is heinously expensive. Say, **560 million** if I tallied the costs and values of what stuff he asked mother to get him...cuz' he's heading for the madhouse called Xiuluo City. Only one with the luck of gods can survive that place, much less survive the nasty forest around it.'

'WHAT?!'

xxx

'Well, what do you think?' Yuancheng asked his family.

'She changed a lot.' said Fang. 'She's no longer the girl we used to know. It's like...a stranger took her place.'

'It felt that way.' said Zhonglei. 'Can having eccentric mentors change people?' he wondered aloud.

'If that timid coward became a sadist, no doubt about it.' Ling shuddered.

'We'll see how things go.' said Yuancheng. 'Right now, she has a goal. If we get in the way of that, we'll be affected by Third Generational Punishment too because she has the Emperor's Backing. If the Emperor finds out who killed Princess Royal and made it look like an illness...that person and his clan will go extinct.' he said grimly. 'Lucky we have nothing to do with that man and I prefer it stays that way.'

'Yes, my lord/father.'

"You have got to be kidding me!" Xue thought with a growl while shaken with fear. "Lucky, he says?! If Beiyue discovers who did it, then by link, I too, will be killed along with Yun'er and Zhonglei! That can't happen! I have to kill that brat somehow!"

xxx

'Miss...I sensed something back there.' said Dongling as they cleaned up.

'Yeah...I took a gamble by being talkative when normally I'm a proud eight-forked-tongued politician. But I shook her real good.' Beiyue wore a dark smile. 'She realizes my hidden message...that death will come for her soon enough, after I finished off the other!'

'Miss, what after you accomplish your revenge?' Dongling asked her. 'You're giving it all you got.'

'Hmm...when that lowlife is gone, I can rest easy.' said Beiyue. 'That nobody will try to assassinate me. Not that they'd succeed!'

'You lied about Puyuan Xizhu too...everything I've seen, is all you.' Dongling pointed out. 'You broke out of your timidity and changed yourself for the better.'

'Yup. Can't tell them that though. They'll be too busy chasing after a red herring who doesn't even exist, it's hilarious.' Beiyue chuckled, shoulders shaking in her mirth. 'I'll play that woman real good and deliver a twist at the ending, and watch them make a hilarious face before royal uncle axes them all. If they think they can get away with what they've done...they got another thing coming.'

The Xiaos and Princess Royal's murderer are all unforgiven.


	5. Origin

Origin

It started when they got to Qinghe and Beiyue started roaming around after ordering for a massive Palace to be built to train kids, as Dongling looked back to her past

When she was done roaming Jingkang for her first recruits, Beiyue cried in tears on her.

'Commoner parents are kinder to their children who can't even practice! Yet my own father treats me like I'm worthless and useless! Commoners live a happier life of warmth and happiness than we do even if they couldn't afford martial arts!' she sobbed.

Dongling wouldn't know what her miss meant by that. She was an orphan roaming the streets starting when she was THREE. She was a feral child until Princess Royal happened when she was seven years old, and given her current name as Dongling forgot what her original name was, being feral for so long since her parents died in job accidents, and nobody took her in, not even her parents' friends.

Her young lady endured cold scorn, being mocked at and everyone's contempt in the Capital City, even bullied when Princess Royal wasn't around. And her father was cold-hearted towards her. This allowed the two concubines to mistreat her and their children had fun bullying her. He basically gave them license to do so.

This led to her many beliefs after that she became cynical and jaded while pushing for betterment of herself, and proving to everyone she wasn't useless. Hence she focused on being better than anyone as her revenge for mistreatment and abuse she didn't deserve as she never did anyone wrong.

Not only that, she didn't know Beiyue found an attempt on Princess Royal's life that Princess Royal didn't defend herself from and instead, for their safety, sent them away. That Beiyue held Politics in contempt as her mother was forced to die because of Politics! All alone and nobody to protect them both, it was reason why Beiyue became a workaholic, but competent ruler of two provinces, well-loved by Miyang and Qinghe who brought them prosperity and was a just and fair ruler who even gave their children free education and training, and getting to eat deliciously-nutritious food.

Literacy(and tricking everyone in how to learn through calligraphy). Arithmetic and Abacus Mastery. Pharmacology(knowledge of herbs and pills only), Manners and Etiquette, Good Morals, Virtues and Right Conduct expected of boys and girls. Social Studies, Social Rules. Judicial Laws. History. Art of Poetry. The Royal Court and how they work, the last one being for boys who wanted to enter court as Officials. But it's best if girls learned it too as in future missions, it can come in handy.

Princess gave them all a blue pill, three more pills, and a gold-ringed purple pill that looked smoky before lessons started...and they all could not forget what she taught that day even if they tried! That enabled quick learning and mastery, in order to progress to training soon! Not only that, that purple pill was the treasure Marrow-Washing Pill that left them all ill for a couple days because their old bones are changing into stronger ones and not only that, it was a pill that enables talentless hacks to enter the realm of geniuses. She then began giving them cultivation pills, and taught them to cultivate in order to endure easier the coming training the next year. So they all worked hard to cultivate! Dongling just thought she has incredible connections so did not question her lady. And students are allowed to write home to their families every night after a year of mastering basic literacy. The rest were a bit more difficult.

To put it into perspective, one needs to master 3000 just to be able to read a newspaper. And there are 50000. The most everyone can do, even for the smartest or diligent students, was 20000. The blue Eternal Memory pill enabled them all to master all characters within four years. And only the truly-wealthy can afford the memory pill yet even the Marrow-Washing Pill was only a dream even for them, unless one: they get Prince Xiaoyao's favor AND the needed ingredients.

Normally, reaching top tier levels would take DECADES because of how EXPENSIVE they were as one, a Pharmacist's services are heinously expensive and two, hiring mercenaries to get reagents for you is just as difficult, nevermind finding powerful mercenaries...yet in such a short time, in just one year, they all achieved up to the 5th level of cultivation.

The blue pills were given yearly. When one subject is finished, she would replace them with a new subject. In Music, Beiyue had to hire known teachers as she could not teach it. She hired Erhu, Zither, Pipa and Flute teachers who have no connections to Lingyang College or anyone among nobility, with a monthly salary of 900 gold coins. Then finally, Martial Arts, followed by Cooking Lessons! Now HOW did her miss learn how to cook, without Dongling knowing it?! Was someone teaching miss behind their backs?

By second year, their bodies are put under incredible workout, all the while under weight training, stamina, endurance, speed, agility, flexibility, nimbleness, reflexes and reaction time training and STILL cultivate! Their weights change based on progress, all the while doing repetitive, full-powered techniques in skills Beiyue would teach them and she flat-out admitted they are NOT techniques taught in Lingyang School's Warrior Course as they are to be _solely techniques of Twilight Palace_. However, boys and girls' muscle training are very different they had different menus. Boys can happily be sculpted, girls however, must retain their beauty and NOT lose any of it at all. Thus they are still strong despite being deceptively feminine in form by feeding them specific pills every month.

She taught them two styles of hand-to-hand she calls Kongshoudao(karate), and Baidadao(Hakuda). She made them practice all moves until it's 'muscle memory at their strongest and fastest efforts.' until their bodies are used to it. Caused everyone a lot of stress, though they were all given pills every after dinner to cure muscle pain and fatigue toxins accumulated in training. Then made everyone spar with each other in pairs, and a battle royale of three, four, six, ten, twenty...until they can master fighting against a hundred people at once without losing concentration as a lapse of concentration and judgment, means death on the field. By this time, they are all 9-stars in power equivalent. Due to sheer physical demands, everyone ate ravenously that contributed to great health, as food was 30% protein, 30% vegetables, 30% seafood and 10% rice, with fruit for dessert, and green tea to drink.

Third year, was magic training. Again, it's not a known technique off of Lingyang School. She calls it Kidao(spirit arts), which are classified into Barriers, Binding, Offensive Spells, Barriers and Healing, as well as a fast movement speed called Flash Step. They can even walk and run on air with it yet flying was weirdly impossible. Healing and Barrier spells were taught first, with Offensive Spells last. This year was magic mastery training in the school's firing range.

And also when they would go past 9-Star Levels, entering the Divine Class. Their physical training never let up, though. Not only that, they learned basic sword-wielding and proper footwork...through a 20kg, metal pipe as long as their arms and trained ambidextrously with skill, strength and superhuman speeds, as well as dexterity training to the point that they can make paper-thin wooden sheets out of logs, or cut through walls with ease. They can spar with each other without mercy using said pipe as long as nobody strikes at the head, spine and heart. Everywhere else is fair game as Beiyue can fix them all anyway...and she proved it. However, to the enemies of Twilight Palace, they can attack those three forbidden areas not allowed on a brother and sister student. All students were raised to care for each other like they would their siblings at home.

Fourth and Final Year where this time, no pills other than cultivation...it's Sword Arts Training. All 17 of them and execute them to the strongest standard, survival, stealth, infiltration and investigative skills and focusing more on Cultivation for ten months to reach the highest level they could in Divine Class before they all hit a wall because they have no idea what ingredients are needed to create pills to reach higher levels. Then two months they are allowed to go home to their families for a vacation, then come back for last instructions, before Beiyue has to go to Linhuai City on Emperor's orders.

Not only that, come end of second year, all of them were introduced to the Emperor who paid Twilight Palace a visit, because Twilight Palace is to be loyal to an Emperor worthy of the palace, their school founder and fellow students.

But the Emperor being politically savvy, interpreted that as 'Emperors who Beiyue liked'. So he hopes that Twilight Palace will become a good asset in his and his successor's rule, promising the school that they are both just, fair and benevolent rulers good to their people. He also asked who among the boys wanted to enter court, he would personally sponsor them on the sly for the upcoming Spring Imperial Exams and 20 were eager to jump the bandwagon...because his majesty needs spies in all departments to root out corruption and conspiracy attempts as he had been hearing rumors that there are people wishing harm on his successor.

So Beiyue made arrangements as well for their deployment, and bought the twenty boys a respectable wardrobe. However before that, all boys MUST pass the Provincial Exams this winter! So unlike some of their peers who will go home for vacation on their final spring, the 20 boys must study for their upcoming exams in school AND allowed a vacation when they pass their provincial exams. Their vacation will end when they must travel to Linhuai City, ensuring they at least have 10 days of travel. Qinghe may be half that distance to Linhuai, but anything can and will happen, due to natural disasters.

Beiyue held a demonstration match for the Emperor who was in awe that his niece raised 100 experts(he however, has no idea their levels are ridiculously high) and loyal solely to select few for the sake of a peaceful country. The boys are handsome and muscular as if their arms were carved out of wood despite being slim, and girls were beautiful with shape.

At the time, they have no uniforms, indication that they belonged to Twilight Palace when Emperor came.

'Uniforms? Oh, they'll get it after their first vacation in their four years in school.' Beiyue would tell his majesty. 'I already made a design and all that's left is for a team of tailors and shoemakers to handle everything for me!'

Thus when Beiyue made final arrangements for the boys, the Emperor asked Dongling about everything that made Beiyue who she was today.

His majesty was astonished that Beiyue had a wide imagination and created her own techniques and training methods for Twilight Palace...and knows access to pills through 'Princess Royal's mysterious connections.' because out of spite, if not him, she wouldn't share her secrets as Beiyue felt everyone unfairly scorned and treated her with contempt for things that wasn't her fault. Yet when she began recruiting students, she saw how kind parents were to children even if all of them could not practice, to her horror her world fell apart, and focused on revenge for the injustice. Her own father looked at her like trash and allowed his concubines and other children to mistreat her. Even servants were allowed to mistreat her!

That got the Emperor's blood boiling. He wanted to outright murder the Xiaos on the spot. But Dongling said, 'Your majesty, she wants a slow, drawn out revenge. A quick death to her years of mistreatment is unfair on her part, she told me that much at least.'

'Hmm! I shall do my part for her sake.' the Emperor relented, while trying to cool down from his rage. 'For Huiwen who knew not her daughter she left behind was mistreated behind my back and that bastard was lying to me through letters, Beiyue and I shall extract revenge and we'll savor it well! Tell me more about the clan he was lying to me about!'

So Dongling talked...

The Emperor was plotting their demise already. Starting with Xiao Fu-ma himself. His sister did not deserve an adulterously-scandalous husband he wondered, 'What possessed mother to give her to that worthless bastard, I shall never know! Huiwen did nothing wrong to deserve such a marriage! She could have had better! I'll give mother a piece of my mind, just you wait...'

Once the twenty boys are accounted for, he got their profiles. Complete with a picture using ink his majesty was amazed. He was even gifted the prototype miss was working on, her brush pen.

'I wanna be an Enchanter uncle! Warrior and Summoner are so common. I'm not even an Earth Element so I can't be a Pharmacist anyway.' said Beiyue. 'That brush-pen makes paperwork easier without a sore shoulder! You can just write until Ink runs out if the white gem blinks red. By then when you have ink ready, press the gem, and the brush will turn into a metal tube to suck ink until the pen is full. Then you can write again!' she said. 'It's a prototype, I'm working on a better pen that gives more ink space but I'm trying to work it out...even I have no idea how long that prototype will last in use.'

'That's my brilliant niece!' the Emperor glomped her lady happily. The students could thus see that their emperor was indeed, a kind man, quick to jump on granting good favor if well-deserved...who can be an adorable dork as long as their teacher's concerned!

His majesty, is a doting, loving uncle. Yup.

Thus, Dongling wondered how the man gets revenge on Beiyue's behalf months before they go to Lingyang.

And so...

While Beiyue was out doing exams, she was curious with what Emperor did for his revenge.

He was sent on critical jobs way beyond the man's ability, jobs he absolutely cannot fail, and given assignments nobody who was rank Duwei would want. Not only that, he 'changed their annual income back to normal'.

Apparently, when Xiao Master married Princess Royal, the Xiao Clan's original income went from 40 million gold, to 100.

Their status was back to normal too. Even with a royal relative, they are no longer an Imperial Family. They now know what it means to be the talk of town, and not in a good way. In politics, what Dongling learned in school, that translates to, 'What the hell did you do to piss off the Emperor?! Keeping your company will bring bad luck to my family!' thus they now find themselves alone.

Their sole wealthy relative was Huang Beiyue who earns half a billion gold, having done a great job juggling her own province and her mother's, bringing prosperity to both. However, because Emperor persuaded her to go to Lingyang School now that she's of age, she had to give Miyang back to her royal uncle until she graduates wherein she'll be it's Governor again. But losing Miyang did little to dent Beiyue's wealth anyway...she was still a close-to-half-billion princess.

Some Governors were skeptical a little girl, a known trash did it all herself, so Beiyue challenged them to a battle of wits...and humiliated them all politically by answering intelligently while giving nothing away. She even had eye contact on with whoever was questioning her with a cold, steely gaze on her face.

'If you have time being a petulant five year old, perhaps that time is better spent trying to increase your annual income by at least, 50 million.' Beiyue coldly sneered at the Court of Governors on the right side of the large conference room as to the left, were the Royal Court and its many department heads. 'Can you** even do that**?' That left her fellow governors sputtering, red-faced at being humiliated in court.

So now, she was a respected governor as when Censorate explored her province since that day, they had a lot to say about Qinghe Province's newfound wealth and developments that they don't even see poor and beggars in the streets, and people were very happy with their young governor.

'The first year was difficult since she introduced changes, but it ensured everybody has jobs now and salary's a lot higher!'

'We can live in comfort now!'

'We can afford education for our children when before almost everyone is illiterate!'

'About damn time we got a governor who actually cares about their people. Our last one's a certified bastard twelve years ago until the Emperor gave him the boot.'

Indeed when they looked, Qinghe and Miyang are now ideal paradises for a commoner to live in now. They checked the census and by the third year of Princess Huang Beiyue's reign as Governor, a lot of families from other provinces moved in, drawn by the promises of green pastures and they got in successfully. Their origins were of course, recorded by the Civil Census but some were 'turned away'.

When asked, 'They're here to cause trouble for us all and our princess sent by their evil employers! We're very strict with who we allow to live in Qinghe!' same for Miyang. People migrating are very strictly checked. Innocents who want a better life are allowed in, those with shady motives kept OUT. Sometimes, even killed.

So Beiyue's in the clear.

Now at present time, Dongling wondered how will her miss proceed. The Emperor made the Xiao Clan's life economically difficult.

By gutting their annual income, Xiao Zhongqi barely made it to Silver Class-C. Barely. As Family Childe, he was naturally top priority over Xiao Yun as he is legitimate son by default and his father's successor. Xiao Yun may have had the ability to become a Summoner but she wasn't that talented. By her natural ability, Dongling estimated it would require 600 million gold or so just to make the girl a 3-star Summoner. Due to that, to make her appealing to public, Senior Master Xiao Qiyuan intervened, by taking the girl on a trip in the past to help her get a Summon through Taming.

Senior Master is a Fire Element, an 8-star Summoner with a 12th Rank Fire Leopard. Easy for him to get his granddaughter a Summon in order to catch up. He got her a Sky Snow Cat that he defeated, and had her make a Contract with it with his help. This means that it'll help make up for the lack of innate talent and directly becoming strong.

And if they form a contract with a beast stronger than them via Taming, when the beast's cultivation grow, the owner's cultivation will also grow. With high-level leading low-level, the cultivation speed will double! This is a hack that bypasses the system of consuming pills and priceless herbs to cultivate, as Princess taught everyone. This is also a cheaper way to become strong, rather than spend money on a pitiful ability on an annual income of 40 million as of two years ago! And her growth was sort of slow. Too slow by standards she barely broke past the next level so right now, she's a 2-star Summoner in the junior level.

She reported all findings to her miss who laughed in cold, dark delight when she came back for dinner after exams.

How can they ever compare to Divine Class Cultivations now?

In their hearts, their enemies are so pitiful. Mockingly so.

Being superior to their abusers is just one step into their revenge.


	6. The Cold-Hearted Princess

The Cold-Hearted Princess

_Since her political debut which was also the day she humiliated the other governors..._

_'Yue's changed a lot hasn't she?'_

_Wang Xiaoyao spoke in the Emperor's office._

_This was two years ago when she humiliated the Governor's Court to prove her mettle as a Governess who brought prosperity to the provinces in her care. But nobody believed that Nanyi's Famous waste did it all._

_'If you are someone in her shoes, you'd change too.' said the Emperor wryly. 'I visited her not long ago in Qinghe. I have seen how she works. She has nothing but contempt and hatred for everyone among the nobility, even towards her own family for treatment she did not deserve as she never did anyone wrong nor offended anybody. But apparently, your worth as a human being depends on whether you can practice or not.' he sighed gloomily. 'War made us this way. She only holds me in high regard as I was never like anyone else. I was honestly good and kind to her that she's fine and dandy with giving me royalties from her provinces, showing only to me what remains of the sweet, gentle girl she used to be. Watching her in court today was...jarring. She's so mercilessly cold-hearted with a cruel barbed tongue!' he shuddered. 'My favorite niece scared me today!' he sobbed comically before his aides and the Chief Pharmacist who sweatdropped._

_'She rapidly developed Miyang and Qinghe to the point I no longer saw a rundown shack nor filthy beggars in streets, so I had the Censorate check things out. The people spoke highly of her in great fondness and respect. And she is no longer the waste everyone thinks she is.' the emperor smiled before faltering. 'Her contempt became quite the motivator.'_

_'She hates everyone in this city?'_

_'Afraid so. And Dongling, her attendant would tell me things when Beiyue's out of earshot.'_

_The Emperor bitterly told Xiaoyao what the maid told him. From how it started that greatly changed the girl. (Though out of respect for his niece, he did not reveal about Twilight Palace but said she opened civilian schools) With Huiwen's mysterious connections as she wanted nothing to do with the city that hurt her unfairly, she and her maid became strong on their own using techniques Beiyue designed herself. Their skills aren't skills learned in Lingyang School and when Dongling demonstrated her skills, Beiyue's genius lay in design and economical prosperity that the maid's skill was no joke. Dongling becoming a Summoner and Beiyue was at a loss at what course to take._

_'See this? I no longer have sore shoulders when dealing with paperwork now and my writing much more clearer to read now.' the Emperor held out the brush pen, telling what it was like. 'It's her first work and I have to admit, before I go through 3000 papers morning till after dinner before I call it quits, I can now finish what's on my desk with this wonderful tool...and to think it's only a prototype! And she gave it to me for free!'_

_'Sigh, I'm not a bad person towards her either but now I find myself painted in the same brush because everyone in this city was like that.' said Xiaoyao gloomily. 'She never met the people who would have been good to her other than his majesty, knowing only the contemptible.'_

_'Sadly yes. I called mother out on this monumental mistake she made.' the Emperor grumbled. 'Had she given royal sister to a man worth her, Beiyue might have grown up with a better father. How she started her spiral of hate was heartbreaking.' he said softly. 'I wish to prevent further tragedy to my niece. I am now her legal guardian as that brother-in-law of mine was contemptible garbage!' he swore angrily with a dark look on his face. 'I will protect her from further bad decisions...particularly marital decisions. Beiyue should marry a man who actually loves her. It's what she needs right now so I will not allow anyone trying to get her into an arrangement. I will not let her end up like royal sister. Sister nearly engaged her to Anguo Gong's son, Xue Gongzi(ch: title for a duke's son) but quickly scrapped it before she can even approach the man after sending Beiyue away.'_

_'I see...so will she come to Lingyang soon?'_

_'Yes, if only to make this prototype better and make new tools that will make life easier. For now she's busy so I can't suggest things to her so I'll wait for her schedule to be free before I can talk to her without distractions.' Emperor smiled. 'This pen only has the ink capacity in proportion to its size, so I have to refill every after twenty papers. Beiyue wishes to expand space like how Space Rings work to make it truly useful. Then again, who knows how her mind works lately...'_

And back at present time, Xiaoyao thought about the now 12 years old Princess who indeed, came back cold-hearted and speaks in derision, but powerful with a rare element. He doubted her ability as a Summoner as is there even beasts that exist with the darkness element? According to informants, she took the Enchanter Course and passed her exams with high grades.

He wants to see her soon.

Next thing Xiaoyao knew, the Emperor was said to have exacted revenge in his own way against his in-law.

xxx

Zhanye has a lot to think about.

After the exams, his father told him to see him.

'You called, father?'

'Mm. I have an important task for you.' said the Emperor. 'But first tell me...when Beiyue visits, _how have you treated her_? This has everything to do with what we'll talk about today.'

'Well...just exasperation.' said Zhanye. 'She's a nervous wreck when she comes here. Deeply afraid of everyone, even me. I once glared at her telling her to shape up.' he admitted. 'Before I could say more due to how cruel this world is, she ran away from me in tears.'

His father sighed heavily.

'Well, she shaped up now. She's a 9-star as everyone knows now. I have known of that two years ago.' Zhanye blinked at his father who told him how exactly, Beiyue grew up before Huiwen sent her away to Qinghe where Beiyue definitely flourished, powered on by her contempt of everyone. He had never dreamed that when Beiyue could not cultivate, her family mistreated her so that made her wary and afraid of people growing up, mistreated by even servants and her father allowed it. And Royal Aunt knew this thus sent her away to Qinghe for her safety before she died not long after.

Beiyue then built Twilight Palace, a martial arts school with unique skills she designed, and with her mother's mysterious connections, all of them, even she herself, is a 9-star at a mere 12-14 years old. She raised them to be different from all martial artists in the world, teaching them how to be good, kind, humble and virtuous other than an impressive curriculum, in the hopes that despite being outnumbered by arrogance, kindness and humility will prevail. Her students are all incredibly skilled, but specialized more in hand-to-hand and sorcery than they did swordsmanship since stealth and infiltration was their selling point as Patrol Censors that answers only to Beiyue.

'Why I told you about Twilight Palace? Their purpose, after their first research project is to function like the Censorate but unlike the Censorate who reports to the Department before the Black Cavalry takes action according to the law, they destroy the threat to the country themselves and prevent attempts of Guandang, a system put in place by corrupt predecessors I sadly could not abolish without support.' the Emperor grumbled. Zhanye pinched his nose hard. They are affiliated with Tianwei Department now as a secret partner.'

Guandang is a system which allows government officials accused of committing an offense to trade their Court Rank in return for a reduced sentence. Since an official's rank is lowered based on the the magnitude of the crime, the system is especially beneficial for high-ranking officials.

This means Twilight Palace are hidden assassins. They will dispose of the corrupt, status-be-damned when the books lets them live and continue to criminally operate in a subtler manner until discovered again!

'But they will only function under an Emperor they like. Otherwise they are loyal to just themselves, and ensure the corrupt meet their end, until the rightful people are in power.' said the Emperor.

'Her students have seen and known my face, and proved myself to those young experts. Your task is to prove yourself to Beiyue that you're nothing like this city to gain the power and backing of Twilight.' the Emperor told him. 'I chose you as my successor for your prudence and virtuousness, but she never saw that side of yours. Not to mention 20 of her graduates are under my sponsorship in the Court Exams, all powerful summoners aiming to enter all departments just to investigate and clean up.'

'...very well father.' said Zhanye. 'I shall win her over and prove myself to her. But...what IS Twilight Palace?'

'Beiyue knew of Holy Blood Palace of Dongli, and Beiyao's Glorious Palace.' Zhanye knew of those so his eyebrows went up. 'So she thought she could build one.' said the Emperor. 'Twilight being a world of both and at the same time, neither light nor dark. Considering what its purpose is, the name is fitting. However, as far as everyone knows, Twilight Palace is merely the best school in Qinghe that she opened that allows live-in 100 students only starting at age 10, while her other schools start as early as 6. It can never be publicly known as a Martial Arts School hence. 100 students every 4 years, to ensure they all get the focus of teachers that they need. And with access to mysterious suppliers of Cultivation Supplements...its not a surprise to see such a phenomenal rise in a short time.'

'I see...'

The Emperor then took out a box and gave it to him. It was a long and thin box. There's even numbers in order! 'Take them all in proper order each time you hit the spirit wall in order to break through. They are all cultivational pills. The first one to take is pretty obvious and follow after that. It took some convincing...but its worth it.' the Emperor said wryly. 'She keeps grudges.'

Zhanye groaned as he took the box into his Space Ring.

'T-thank you for your trouble, father.' yup, he imagined that she never forgave him for that day, thinking he's no different and no better. Hostile to her for what was never her fault. And his father who wants him to also be strong, not just a prudent, capable successor, he must have begged her.

Upon going to his room to look at the box...there _was_ a reason his father said he should take the obvious first...

He pinched himself hard.

Not a dream. Nooooot at all.

He quickly popped it into his mouth and put away the box back in his ring, aware he's in for a hellish week unable to even use ki. He was glad it's not school yet...

xxx

Back at the Mansion...

'Dongling, I'll be over uncle's office to submit these papers. Lunch should be over by now.' said Beiyue, putting stacks in order, held in place by convenient office tools called paper clamps. 'Do you need the market for anything to be in Jingkang Bazaar?'

'Ehhh not for now. We shopped for everything we could want and need to last us at least until half a year.' said Dongling. 'We're A-OK.'

'Mm.' Beiyue opened a black portal, and took her paperwork with her. At the time the black portal appeared, it startled the Emperor and his aides. 'Uncle! I'm coming through!' on the other side, the men looked relieved as indeed, it's just her. But...carrying paperwork.

'Uncle, here's the remains of my paperwork for this year.' said Beiyue. 'For Miyang that is, so its under your authority again! Qinghe will be by autumn.' the Emperor sighed gloomily.

'Y-yes dear...' he said with comical waterfall tears as Beiyue put the stacks on his table and she left as quickly as she came. "I was almost done too!"

Back at home, Beiyue went to take a warm soak in a furo. She relaxed with the heat of the water heated up by Fire Crystals.

'This sucks, having the mind of a child with memories from the original owner that affects me too...I'm not usually so...immature.' Beiyue mumbled as she took to being a tub-potato.

That's right.

She blamed herself for her mother's death when she was nine years old. She learned the horrible truth way too late but by then, she blamed herself for her stupidity. For wanting to play hero to a kid too close to a flooding river. That 'kid' that killed her mother. She as good as led her mother to her death, an accessory to murder.

She could not bear to lose another mother in Huiwen so she went so far. And anyone daring to hurt her, will pay. She won't lose a mother a second time, even if it meant being away from her for years, only able to visit once a year for a month straight!

But it was better than losing a parent again. She still had the warmth and love of a mother. It's her win. She will keep her mother alive, if only as atonement for stealing her real daughter's body just so she'd be away from the most unwanted job in all of existence.

xxx

Xirong, Huan City...

Huiwen, now Hongmei who is physically 19 now...

She had quite the adventure.

Living the life of a commoner and a teacher in a Temple School.

Cleaning her own house and doing the cooking(by following the cookbook given to her by her daughter). Living alone.

But here, she could have real friends. Honest friendship with no shady catch. And...freedom.

This was the best gift her daughter gave her.

A chance to live freely with her own choices. No expectations, no pressures, nothing.

It was so...surreal.

'Beiyue...if only we can live like this...' she mused as she looked out at the clear blue sky during lunch break. 'Would you have had...a better, happier childhood?'

If only she was never born a royal.

If only her husband was a different person.

If only her husband was someone who loved her and treasured family more than they treasure money, power and reputation!

And Beiyue suffered.

The cruel life behind gates of fancy mansions and palaces.

Her daughter would tell her things, and asked her to play along to keep the lies she made alive for the sake of nurturing a school as well as a cover for how she got strong.

Her daughter awakened to godly powers that stunned her Summon. He was just as baffled as to how when before, she couldn't even solidify a spirit foundation within her Dantian?

They have no idea what happened to Beiyue to suddenly gain such power.

Was she perhaps, touched by gods upon seeing injustice? But worser injustice happened! If so, lots of victims should have been saved by now from inhumane cruelty.

She and Beiyue could have gotten a better life.

She should have been happier. Lots of friends, a childhood...


	7. The Cold-Hearted Princess II

The Cold-Hearted Princess II

In which Beiyue checked checked on her students who applied for important departments in the Royal Palace.

Currently, they are all unemployed officials doing odd jobs on a period of time doing errands for everybody as is tradition, until they are hired.

They sent her reports on what they were overhearing and investigated.

So she gave them their orders for the axeing.

Before summer came, news let out that a lot of people were discovered to have committed crimes and facts were publicly let out, causing drastic shifts in power as in this world, reputation is everything. And since Beiyue returned home while the boys were beginning their work, it has been two years for the latter.

Those who tried the Guandang card as expected of Twilight, were found dead in accidents in a way never traced to the Royal Family or Tianwei Department. Carriage Accident? Dying in a party from too much drinking or eating foods that caused severe allergy? Falling down the stairs by themselves and break a neck? All accidents.

"And this is just the first year and they're not even Officials yet." the Emperor thought as he found himself reviewing what happened in the past few days.

The Twilight Palace have neat tools called Sound Stones. They can only be used once, and record conversations at the only moment it can be used. It helps the case a lot to avoid playing pretend they were framed or whatever.

Then pleading Guandang, you won't live long no matter how good you are in Martial Arts.

The Emperor knew this was Beiyue's unique brand of revenge on all nobility in Linhuai City. They destroyed her, its her turn. Very few, were spared because there was nothing wrong with some clans who were miraculously squeaky clean.

Not even her own family is spared in the scandals that rocked the city as she has had many many agents all over the place. In fact, it was of a scandalous degree that got him pissed. He had never known how miserable his late sister is, in that house due to how they talk about her behind her back!

And plan to take what's Beiyue's will they?!

He's been wanting to axe them, now he could!

xxx

'Princess, we just got word about your...family,' Geng Zhong, the Chief of the Censorate looks pissed. He had his men roughly arrest the Xiao Family adults and some children in the know that the only ones innocent, were Concubine Fang. Her daughter Ling was ambitious but Fang's hand was firm, and solely on Princess Royal's side, though she has had interesting things to say herself. Nothing criminal but she is one angry woman who bore the indignity of being neglected for sinful women.

'I know.'

'How do you want them cooked?'

'Make it as very undignified as possible, and quite public. I've been wanting to do this for years, for mother's sake more than my own.' said Beiyue. 'I was wondering why royal grandmother gave mother to this man I had the _misfortune_ to call father and this household isn't a happy world for us at all and we're the legal ones.'

xxx

Royal Palace...

Things were TENSE as the Palace went through a lot of publicized Court Trials.

But when Xiao Yuancheng and two of his Concubines are brought in...

They knew its time for the other shoe to drop.

They angered the Emperor before, what they did now, was revealed when the Sound Stones, now dreaded items in the palace are played!

That was to the horror of those present when the stones were played, replaying the recorded conversations...that it's safe to say that the Xiao Clan has no future in the hands of an angry Royal Brother-In-Law.

'...Beiyue didn't attend court.' Zhanye spoke to Lord Geng as the Black Cavalry took away the three prisoners who were sentenced to a thousand lashings, assuming they'll survive that...

'She said she can already predict the outcome, and preferred not to show up.' said Geng respectfully. 'Showing up is a sign that she cares, and she never will. After all...they were never family from the start. Even when Princess Royal was alive.' he said. 'Just what was Queen Dowager thinking pairing her with such a pig?'

That was common consensus in the palace now, Zhanye thought as when the wretched adults were gone, the next were brought in, the children in-the-know who clearly doesn't have a future anymore in Nanyi Country.

They who conspired to steal from their royal sister with malice, now trembles in fear before the emperor, his royal father.

xxx

Royal Family Grave...

Huiwen's alive in Xirong, but to the public, she was dead.

Beiyue thus made a show to her maid.

Clad in black clothes with eerie red blood-splattered prints(think the red marks on Dark Sakura's legs) on her lower sleeves and hem of her outer garment. Her inner garment was white, but just-as-blood splattered.

She lit up high-quality incense, took flowers out of her ring and put it on the grave. Her long hair is also simply down.

She's Japanese, not Chinese after all, and Japanese princesses wear their hair long and down in a hime cut.

'My lady, finally...Princess Royal is truly free.' said Dongling. 'They got coming what was rightfully-deserved!'

'Yup. This filthy joke forced on mother is finally washed away as is proper.' said Beiyue with a wistful sigh. 'But this is but the first half of our wish. We can't rest easy until we achieve the other half.'

'Yes...that.' Dongling winced. They have two wishes for their own sakes.

'Its not an easy task, but we WILL do it. For mother.' Beiyue smiled. 'Let's go home and keep planning for that end goal. Then we go to where home is for us. This stinking city is never our home.'

'Yes! But what of the Masters and Misses?' Dongling piped up her question.

'Insignificant.' Beiyue sneered. 'I may deal with Aunt Fang now that the two harlots and their elder kids are out of my way. I may have to help her get married to a better man too. She deserved better. She's effectively divorced from that philanderer anyway.'

'The problem is eldest miss...she's out of control, opposite of her mother. She might put off potential suitors as being eldest miss...because she grew up spoiled and ill-mannered, Concubine Fang's ability to parent will be in question even if she's a kind lady, but with eldest miss, no man will want her.' Dongling reminded her as they walked away, ignoring the presence watching them as it bore them no ill.

'...I'll put the fear of god in that girl to grow the hell up.'

xxx

Up in the trees...

He watched.

Clad with pristine-white robes with silver embroidery, He has long black hair, exquisitely-handsome face with fair skin. His purple eyes that blazed with fire and determination under his sword-like eyebrows. 'So that, is Princess Royal's daughter.'

He saw her once during the exams. Her expression then was cold with a frosty gaze. Yet warmth is seemingly reserved only to her attendant. A beautiful, caring smile only a few will ever see. Within that petite beauty, is a fiery flame of revenge that wishes to burn everything in her wake. Today, her head isn't clad with pins and combs to secure a hairstyle. Right now she came with her hair worn loose, like that of a man's.

Today's a day of mourning and symbolizing, since she wore an unusual black outfit. The 'blood splatters' on her robes are clearly made of dye, not real blood.

Enchanters are sorcerers and inventors, not fighters, so she didn't sense him nor did her maid.

He decided to watch her for days.

She mostly does work in her office. After sitting for hours, she changes into a training outfit that men would normally wear and even then, what a strange style(karate gi)? Then she gets her blood pumping by doing hi-speed martial arts movements to work up quite a sweat. OK, so she can actually fight! She's very fast with force to match! Yet didn't sense him. Maybe no combat experience yet?

After fists and kicks...it's a sword next. An eerie, creepy-looking black and red sword that's easily six feet long and too large for small dainty hands to hold! Yet she can wield it as if it's nothing!

'Miss! Lunch is ready!' her maid calls out.

'Oh, coming!' Beiyue dismissed her sword and ran after her maid.

OK, so what's for lunch? He had to move to see what's lunch like in this big mansion too big for two young girls. Yet everything is too clean! Even Di, his only servant is often exhausted in cleaning one room a day yet these girls manage somehow with just one servant...how?

...the meal structure, is a little strange.

A normal meal structure is rice, and three other dishes of choice. Usually plentiful that there's often leftovers.

Here?

A bowl of rice with a couple bite-sized cut portions in small plates for side dishes and a bowl of soup, and there's an even smaller platter for pickles. The maid eats what she does not far from her. A brown soup with some...cloud? in it with some greens and shiny brown things, and white cubes. The next plate has rolled-up yellow soft-something. Next plate has a piece of fish. And the third plate has vegetables. Just enough...for a single meal if he added things up, the amount equals each to a rice bowl!

And with some magic technique, a small rice ball forms on the rice bowl, big enough to pick with a chopstick for a small mouthful, then a bit of the sides. Makes sense.

But they each eat a pickle when a side dish is completely gone. What an odd way of eating. Soup is eaten for last. Then the last pickles are eaten, before they drank tea.

Once they're done, maid picks up everything for the wash and leaves, while Beiyue goes somewhere and not come out...

...an hour later she comes out in another clean outfit and continues working!

'I guess this is how her day goes...' he wondered as she stood up all of a sudden...and vanished?

He felt five fingers touch his neck.

'I seem to have gained a stalker.' came her cold voice, intending to kill.

Feng Lianyi raised his hands in surrender.

'I tolerated your antics back at mother's grave and you watched me today as well...what's your motive?' OK, so she just let him off in the end yesterday, but too much watching warrants her to move!

'I heard a lot about you, but nothing good...but today, they are proven wrong.' Lianyi smiled. 'I hear from Prince Xiaoyao who talks to the Emperor how cold you have gotten.'

'Heh, whatever. And quit stalking me already. Weirdo.' and she was gone, back to her desk work.

'Interesting.' Lianyi smirked, looking thoughtful.

Most girls would fawn over him and try to get his attention. Yet to this girl who hated everyone and everything, he just gets dismissed!

He'll tease her a bit more.

She seems to focus on work and staying in shape with her sword...

But come mid-afternoon, she would nap in her living room, dressed in a rather unusual form-fitting shirt(a round-neck shirt) he could see she has begun developing in her chest, and a pair of shorts before barefoot! He can't believe what he's seeing! She behaves like a very carefree boy in her house! Even her maid has her own break time, sleeping in the afternoon but at least slept in her room...also in those unusual attire. Being the older girl, she was more physically-developed than her lady.

But while he's seen many 14 year olds among nobility, none of them were like the maid. They were skinnier and shorter than the maid!

Well, it seems in public, Beiyue would present herself with manners yet within her home, she acts as freely as she could.

This...piqued his interest.

She was like a coin who has two sides to her and he has seen the 'real her' barred from the public.

He wants to get to know more about the real person.

xxx

Time for school came.

Many carriages arrived before Linhuai City.

Carriages from various Masters and Misses gathered.

Her carriage was never seen before. It was GORGEOUS in red, gold and white colors. The horses were also handsome, well-groomed stallions.

Dongling the maid also stood out in her beauty that got all the attention of the manservants below age 20.

Unlike any maid present, she has flawless skin with the lightest shade of peach complexion. Her pinkish fingernails were well-manicured on her dainty, straight fingers filed into an oval shape. Her maid uniform is clearly made out of luxurious fabrics with embroidery to match. Her long, pinkish terracotta-colored hair was very vibrant and glossy. A trait no servant can POSSIBLY have, unless your Master treats you well! She was also...gifted where it counts, much to the jealousy of other maids.

She clearly was.

Whose servant was she, in that gorgeously-feminine carriage?

She got off the coach, and positioned herself to help whoever was in there get off carefully.

A small, dainty hand was extended from beyond the white silk curtains of the carriage. The hand has pale-pink manicured fingernails due to how pale this owner was. Skin like snow!

Her identity was quick soon enough. The beautiful Princess Huang Beiyue. Once a known waste, now a powerful Enchantress with a rare element. She got off the carriage with a cold expression. She carried herself with dignity, grace and poise befitting a princess.

She also wore rather unusual clothing. What is she...wearing? They cannot describe, but it's GORGEOUS! It's a very fancy kimono loli outfit with intricate prints, but with bell sleeves not any form of kimono sleeve. The kimono part was salmon pink with the underskirt a bright orange. The obi being dark orange with red cords. Her hair is worn in a half bun with fancy ribbons and kanzashi. On her legs were red orange knee-high lace-trimmed socks and modern earth-style chinese flats that emphasized how small her feet and ankles were.

Since they lived together on the same land, the Xiaos arrived at the same time.

Xiao Yun and Xiao Rou can only look on in envy and bitter hatred while their brothers, Zhongqi and Zhonglei can only look on, stunned.

This, is their third sister?!

A wealthy sister whom they grossly mistreated since she was five years old when Princess Royal wasn't around is now stronger than all of them combined, and richer with great political power. And their parents are in jail so now their grandfather and Concubine Fang are now their legal guardians.

Since their parents' conspiracy got exposed, bad enough their family annual income got lowered...they were now at the mercy of this girl and their associates dropped them so quick! They haven't any allies or resources now.

Worse still for at least, Xiao Yun, Zhongqi's cultivation must be prioritized over even her as he is the eldest son and future Family Head. Through the damned cunning of that bitch Qin, she obtained enough pills and herbs for Zhongqi that he is now a Silver-Class Warrior today. Her mother had to be reliant on their father as when she became Concubine, the resources Princess Royal had were beyond her reach. By family rule among nobility, Childes are always prioritized. Her mother wanted to steal Beiyue's money by asking her father to try to gain authority over her but the darn emperor holds the reigns as since Princess Royal's death, he is actually her Legal Guardian, no longer father!

With their current finances now, she's a mere 2-star summoner when years back, grandfather had to help her out by fighting a Tianxuemao for her to tame it in order to help her form a contract with it just so she could cultivate without having to spend a fortune on pills and herbs. She inherited little of her grandfather's genius blood in a clan of Warriors where he's the only one with ability to become a Summoner!

That was what got her bitter.

Trueborn, beauty, money, power, she has it all!

It's just unfair!

If only her parents weren't stupid enough to get caught! Who will marry her now?! She had been aiming high, now she could not!

Who the hell invented Sound Stones?!


	8. Lingyang College

Lingyang College

East College was where the Four Prominent Professions are held.

Enchantment. Pharmacy. Summoning. And Warrior.

Each field has many subfields they must master.

In Enchantment, you must learn Sorcery, Crafting, inventing magical items and enchanting items.

In Pharmacy, you refine pills, as well as create potions that can save lives, take lives, and boost cultivation. This field is strictly only for those with refined ki control and with Earth Element.

In Summoning, you learn Summoning Contracts, Spiritual Communication, Summoning and Banishment Techniques.

And in Warrior Course, you learn martial arts, weapon arts, tactics and strategy.

In her course, you must be creative with a wide imagination.

She headed here with many others.

On her first day, were introductions to the field, to know what they'll get into. Typical, but standard.

Because in this course, easier said, than done.

Creating her pen needed A LOT of thinking!

She was able to give her uncle the finished final product much to the Emperor's delight.

The final brush pen, can now hold a gallon's worth of ink. Meaning, it'll take MONTHS to need a refilling!

However, only two people can use that special pen. Herself and the Emperor. It was a beautiful bright gold pen.

What she sold in markets, can only hold two hours' worth of ink(if one were to write nonstop) before it needed refilling, and will self-destruct to dust if anyone tried to figure out how to make it and make an improved version when they don't even deserve it. For the wealthy, it looks like feather quillpens straight out of anime with the 'feathers' made synthetically, that will look like beautiful tail feathers of actual birds. She also created a matching eraser product so parchment wouldn't be wasted if anyone made a mistake in grammar. The brush pens were worth 50000 gold coins and the eraser, just 10 gold. Reason it's expensive? The enchantments and mechanisms, and that gemstone used as an activating button!

When her brush pens hit the market, the people selling inksticks knew they're better off selling actual ink in bottles now.

She was also able to create coloring pens for little children. That shrinks in size the more it was used. Adults can use it too, for drawing lessons! A box set of 12, 24 and 64 colors. Priced accordingly, of course. The cheaper wax variety for kids that costs 2, 6 and 10 copper, but the pens for usage by those studying art, are expensive. 1, 5 and 10 gold.

She was able to make money out of it.

In class, she can see a lot of people using her first products she's ever made.

The best part about being an Enchanter?

Your identity, is anonymous to the public except the Bugiel Clan who controls trade and Royalty, so inventors, both amateur and skilled can sell to make a living, and nobody gets to be choosy. Fellow Enchanters are also obliged to keep each other anonymous. Thus in the Admission Exams that day, all of them are sealed to keep secrets of craftsmen. So to even their families, their inventions are secret as well. Enchanters must have their own workshop that keeps outsiders away to prevent Craft Theft - the crime of stealing someone else's formula for themselves, and present it as their own work! Many disputes in the past, were because of unguarded work rooms and people close to the Enchanter often the culprits.

Thus laws were made.

The day went by without a hitch. Two classes in the morning, lunch, then two classes in the afternoon, then go home.

One class, is two hours long with a ten minute break in between.

xxx

At lunch break...

The Pagodas...

It's the most quietest place in the school, absolutely no noise and disturbance whatsoever, lest one angers the Spirit Deity slumbering within and gets subjected to punitive flame.

Perfect for a lunch break. Alone, while reading manga, and she disguises the covers with illusions so nobody sees what she reads.

Not like they'd understand what a comic book is! Urahara gifted her with tons of completed manga series known in Shonen Jump in the year 2000s. When he gets back next time, he promised to bring her anime versions she could watch in stuff that will never break or get damaged so she could enjoy it for many decades. In japanese of course. Not like she forgot her native tongue!

He had enough time to give her manga sets and a very-customized MP3 containing songs from said anime, nicely separated in libraries, organized and touch-screen. Because the way he did it? No known store in Earth can sell what he gave to her without being capable of magic too! His...MP3 was both magic and tech. At least he knew her well enough to know what types of songs she'd listen to.

With her earphones, she listened to some while eating her lunch, and spent the rest of her time reading manga, before giving herself five minutes to Shunpo back to the nearest lavatory to her classroom, and go back to class.

She's the first to come back, obviously.

xxx

By the end of the day...Dongling came to take her home. She could have easily used Shunpo to get herself home but everyone is expected to go home together in the carriages as numbers protect the nobility in groups from Spirit Beasts as older students were powerful summoners. Well, as much as their finances can afford them.

And her overprotective uncle...yeah. Noooot gonna go there, as much as Beiyue likes him.

He loved her mother and loved her just as much. It helps that she looks like her second mom. But with medicine, she grew up her own beauty eventually that she no longer resembled a mini-me of Huiwen.

Despite being a known timid waste, he genuinely loved her and doted on her which was why she grew to love him and cannot turn him down. He was everything Yuancheng was not. Hell, the old goat even made a better father than him.

Bastard's now ruined and rotting in jail with his bitches. Stripped of everything they value. Status, reputation, and luxury.

It made the Kurosaki Ichigo in her despise this world's nobility and royalty to a degree as those three things, were more important than a healthy, happy and loving family.

In a harem family in nobility...house head only cares for who's the most useful to the family and ignores everyone else. Wives compete with each other, husband doesn't care if they kill each other off as long as the most useful one lives. Children? While whoever's oldest male is Childe by default and therefore family heir who actually has his father's attention as being childe made him trueborn son by default if his mother's a concubine. But that doesn't make her legal. Her status will never change, unless something happens to Mrs. Legal.

Children are their parents' tools. For politics, to better their reputation, and help their mother become their father's favorite which will help them out too.

Siblings? What siblings?

Speaking, her sisters are now high schoolers...did they get the luxury she didn't, she wondered?

Normal school life, normal friends, and had the chance to fall in and out of love? Had fights with anyone? Went to fun places?

She sighed.

Her life was all about getting stronger and working. Her only fun time involved listening to anime songs and reading manga. That's it.

"Would I have more friends other than Dongling? Would I fall in love with anyone worth my heart? Would that person actually love me and not my status and money?"

Those were her questions which was why she was so guarded.

She really could use Zangetsu's counseling right now. Both the sane one and the loony one.

She has been alone here for so many years.

Before, for three years she had friends she'd die for.

The threat of being made Soul Queen took that away from her. Urahara saved her even if it meant her hating him as he feared. But better being hated by her than see her become _that thing_. In his opinion at least. He never told anyone what he did. Ever. Because...well...not even he will survive the people whose hearts she's touched. And most of them can do Bankai, by the way.

She got home, changed into her working clothes, basically a shirt and jogging pants...and went to her workshop while tying all her hair into a bun.

xxx

For Lianyi, he saw her at school.

From the carriage descent, unusual but gorgeous dress and shoes he was sure she'd start a trend soon...and as always, cold as ice in her expression. A gaze that held everyone at bay.

A gaze that says, 'I hate the world.'

A girl who only lived for revenge.

She avenged her mother's so-called marital life and their life in the Xiao Household. She also avenged the injustice she didn't deserve because back then she was a cowardly waste but never did anyone wrong. But for most people, her so-called crime was for being born to Princess Royal the way she was.

She was clearly the one behind the Sound Stones.

He wouldn't have known, if he hadn't gotten curious about her on that fated day he overheard her talk with her maid and apparently, also her only friend.

She is an Enchantress. She can create magical items and she's behind the airing of many clans' dirty laundry that led to massive arrests and sentencing. Many clans met their downfall through her. Those who tried to plead Guandang died shortly that prison time was preferable. Not only that, due to Death by Guandang other than being effectively fired via imprisonment, many people in the departments of the court got promoted to fill in the holes. Thus many officials who passed the exams quickly got positions in no time flat.

Based on crimes of the nobles involved, they got their social statuses lowered and annual income changing by decree. Those with no crimes get the luxury of status-increase.

For the children of these fallen clans, they attend Lingyang School in fear and shame based on what their elders have done. Engagements were terminated because reputations are just as important as one's statuses. A lot of people are single...with good reason.

Those who conspired against Crown Prince Zhanye were executed.

This was a year of chaos and social upheaval. Very few clans were found innocent of any crime.

To think she caused such a massive avalanche...

A scorned girl is a thing to be feared indeed.

He had Di look for the stones every day in their house and throw it out or destroy it, but Di said he hasn't seen a single stone in their residence.

Everyone's house is bugged, but not his?

Hmmm...

xxx

'OK, what are you doing in my house and uninvited at that?' Beiyue twitched, while dressed in her work outfit.

Dongling called her that a strange man just appeared in their house, and asking to talk to her! Due to how he dressed, Dongling just can't toss him out literally with many obvious reasons even if she wanted to. If it had been anyone under the Xiao Banner, she'd have kicked them out without mercy by now!

'Well, a lot of things happened, you see?' Lianyi smiled. 'And I wanted to know something.'

'What is it?'

'My house was never bugged with your Sound Stones.' said Lianyi cheerfully. 'Yet everyone else was.'

'What makes you think it was me?' Beiyue asked with a raised eyebrow.

'It can only be you. Want me to list down a ton of reasons why and with proof we can easily find?' Lianyi retorted with a smirk. Beiyue did an eyeroll and an armfold.

'Hmph, so what do you want, Detective Jerk?' Lianyi sweatdropped at the nickname. Still hostile!

'I wanted to know why my house wasn't bugged.' the two girls face-faulted.

'T-that's it?!' Dongling howled in disbelief. 'You came here for that?!'

'Yes. Everyone from the lowest Baron to the highest Prince is bugged, yet not I. I find it strange.' he said with a smile. 'May I know why? Surely I'm not such a clean person either.'

'Wow, someone's being honest.' Beiyue smirked before looking serious. 'Very well. I'll tell you.'

Her words however, shocked him as it did her maid.

Shaken by the reason why, he barely got home...managing to hold back his tears when he got to his room.

**Wanna know why?**

**On the hour before mother sent me away to Qinghe with Dongling...she knows I'll want everyone to pay. But she asked me to spare you for you are innocent of what everyone has done and she loved you like her own child.**

xxx

'Miss...' Dongling shook as the clearly-shocked young man who's actually a prince left in shock. 'Is that...true?'

'Aa. Prince Feng Lianyi, the 9th Prince of Beiyao came here as a Hostage when he was six years old.' said Beiyue. 'It was mom who welcomed him. Upon hearing what his life had been like...she took care and raised him, spending half the day with me and half the day with him. We were both children nobody wanted...who knows why about his case, and my case was pretty obvious. Auny Jianqiu didn't give me much details other than something so vague.' she chuckled darkly as Dongling wilted, knowing what her miss meant by that. 'Mom has a big warm heart...but where she failed in, was giving chances to those who clearly didn't deserve it, even having the gall to betray her in secret. But as she loved that guy like her own son, he must have grown up good as well, having recovered psychologically from many issues in four years before mom...'

Beiyue took a deep breath.

'...makes me wonder how he has been in the remaining years before we returned to this city. That, is your job to know. I'll handle myself in the house for the time being.'

'Yes miss!' Dongling vanished to do as told.

For she too, is an Investigator.

As for Beiyue, she returned to her workshop.

xxx

Hostage Mansion...

Di was worried since by dinnertime, his young master was in a daze. 'Uhm...are you alright? Is your illness acting again?' that somewhat startled the younger man.

'Oh! Sorry Di...I...I just got quite a shock.' Lianyi softly admitted. 'A shock that both made me happy and grieving.' Di looked at him expectantly for more. 'Princess Royal...I never knew that she truly loved me like a son she never had. She was always so warm...like a safe place for me to go home to when I never had a home in the first place.' Di gasped at that. He knew that Princess Royal was a kind and generous lady but to this extent?! 'When Princess Beiyue intends to enact her revenge on the whole city, she asked her that I be spared for she knows I'm innocent of what the whole city has done to her. And she did. Our residence is the only place not bugged with a Sound Stone.'

'Y-you mean, she...?'

'Yes. So many nobles lost their statuses and privileges by demotion or losing it all entirely. Fools who pled Guandang didn't live very long.' Lianyi snorted. 'But who killed her? I know she was killed somehow by underhanded means. She's this country's strongest warrior and summoner none can compare to. She even single-handedly won a war against Dongli after the war between Nanyi and Beiyao stretched both sides too thin. What happened indeed.' he said bitterly. 'Beiyue and I lost someone important to us. She knew something I didn't. I thought she died by illness but overhearing her that day made me doubt.'

'Prince...'


	9. Personal Comforts

Personal Comforts

Lianyi looked at the pill case he received from Beiyue when she told him how Princess Royal sees him as.

She also gave him precious pills he needed to breakthrough, but the other consumables needed to cultivate, is all on him. The pills are simply for ascension and that's it.

Cultivation is expensive after all.

The pills he has in his hands, are worth the money he can never procure in his entire lifetime, thank you very much.

Well, he still has his summon that helps him out, but still...not enough, if he couldn't break through the spiritual walls needed to ascend to the next stage of cultivation.

Beiyue's a known 9-star Enchanter but he wasn't stupid.

**She's stronger than Level 9**.

These pills implied it so.

In all countries, its resources are limited. Particularly during wartime when it's a rush against time to obtain goods needed to cultivate. People here can only reach 9-Star Master levels. Their cultivation will only go beyond if they acquired a powerful Summon and the means to ascend.

Many people got Rank 12 beasts...but not the means to go past Level 9 cultivation, unable to break past the walls.

He had Di track her down for him in school so they could talk once her patterns are memorized as she avoids socializing. He needed more than this.

'The Pagodas are a very dangerous place to have lunch in.' Lianyi commented as he approached her. 'All who enter here to study have to be silent or risk the Spirit Deity's wrath.'

'But convenient to avoid brown-nosing vipers.' said Beiyue coolly. 'Unless it's Royal Uncle, I can't trust anyone in this stinking city.'

'...but you give me the benefit of the doubt.'

'...for now.'

'Ouch.'

'I never knew you nor did I even hear of you until that fateful day mom sent me away.' said Beiyue. 'All I got was your name. And that's it. I had to look when I got back here...and her wish made sense.'

'Uhm, about the pills you gave me...is it possible for Di to have some too?' Lianyi asked her. 'Soon...we will go back to Beiyao when my Hostage Term ends.' he said. 'It will be a dangerous time for us both.'

'My informants say that the current King is ill...and a royal civil war is imminent as he never made anyone Crown Prince.'

'Yes.' said Lianyi in resignation. 'I will have to fight even if I don't want it. It's expected of me to.' he stated bitterly. 'I can never graduate Lingyang School by age 24. I might not even live that long if we fail to catch up.'

'...how are your skills?'

'Despite being ill most of the time, I train myself with Di. Why?'

'Clearly not enough.' Beiyue sighed. 'I don't know what standards in Nanyi are...but that will not fly with me and mom.' she said. Her mom cares too much for this guy when she visited after school hours of Terakoya. In Terakoya School, school hours end later than Lingyang's as Terakoyas are within the city so no danger to the kids. Huiwen's day was four hours of literacy and four hours of math. Then once the kids master Math, that becomes four hours of Geography and a bit of Science. She still worries for Lianyi's future. With a little bit of magic and supply of pills, she has attentive students who are quick learners. 'If you truly wish to survive, visit my house. But you'll be the one paying for your dinner.'

'I don't mind paying that price.' Lianyi grinned. 'Because I actually want a future.'

On that day, the carriage of the Xiao Clan wondered WHY is Prince Lianyi visiting their sister now...

'What the hell's going on? Why is Prince Yi seeing her all of a sudden?!' Xiao Yun shrieked, upset.

'The barrier on her mansion's back on...what's going on now?' Xiao Zhongqi wondered. But alas, like in the past years, they can't get through much less see through or hear anything.

Senior Master Qiyuan have heard of it.

'Perhaps there was arrangement between them by Princess Royal, and he came collecting.' he theorized. 'Why else would Royals visit others?' he said to his fuming granddaughters. 'Let it be.'

xxx

'Er...?'

'Dongling, starting today, they'll train here till midnight so they'll be having dinner here too.' Beiyue told her baffled maid. 'I'll give you two hours to make their share of dinner and by then, introduction is over. Their menu is the Beginner Boys' Meal Chapter One.'

'Yeeees!' Dongling ran off to the kitchens.

'...introductions? Is there something I don't know about?' Di asked his master, perplexed.

'Wait out here a bit.' said Beiyue. 'I will get you two a change of clothes and I expect you guys to wear it during our training. Then after about three minutes of changing, we'll begin Introduction to what Lianyi signed up for. And you'll be cursing my name for the next few years.'

Lianyi and Di weren't sure what to say to that.

And so...

Their training gear comprised of a very functional karate gi and training blue bands...with a catch. They won't start tonight yet. They were just given the training outfits and the blue bands enough to cover one's abdomen, lower arms and lower legs.

'This is both mental training and ki training...while training under us in harder conditions in physical training.' Beiyue told them. 'You must maintain a focused, clear mind while cultivating by sheer will alone if you wanna move again. Oh yes, those enchanted blue bands weigh you down by 10 kg each...it can sense your mastery of it so it'll automatically add another 10 kg, so on and so forth, until you reach the goal of 500 kg. By then your body is at its peak physical and muscular state. Nothing stupidly big, you'll remain slim and slender but muscularly sculpted with the power to match that bears the fruit of your training.'

'Normally, 70kg is the limit of all humans in terms of weight. But that limit exceeds to 300 in women and 500 to men no matter the cultivation level...if they have this.' she summoned a Bone-Washing Pill. 'Have you taken yours, Lianyi?' she asked Lianyi who nodded.

'Yeah, I was bedridden for a couple days...' he said weakly, not fond of the memory at all where he languished in bed for it.

'That was why?!' Di squawked out, bug-eyed at his master who was ill with high fevers for four days making him skip school.

'So yes, eat this so you can withstand 100 kg after the pill transforms you.' Di was stunned to have a valuable treasure in his hands. 'And since life will suck for you in the next few days, you will have to sleep over for at least five days till you're well enough to go home after training.' that got the older male face-faulting at her blunt words, and Lianyi looking utter deadpan because consuming the pill was really rough on him.

Not even Xiaoyao can make him the pill as some of the ingredients are too dangerous to obtain. Even if he had money, without ingredients, no dice. Yet Beiyue casually obtains these!

How...?

Beiyue then began a lecture about their curriculum under her, until it's time for them to return to Beiyao. When they said the time they had to go back, it was purely skill, ki and physical training.

By then, Dongling was ready with dinner.

'I've never seen a meal structure like this before.' Di mused as he saw what a meal is like, in Princess Beiyue's household. A bowl of rice, a small plate of yellow-something, soup, and three side dishes also on small plates. Vegetables, Meat and pickles all in small amounts. Pickles are eaten after a side dish was done being eaten. And there's only four pieces of pickles and the girls eat the soup last. There's also peeled fruit pieces. Dessert. The drink was green tea, not the tea they've accustomed to.

It was a staple from Qinghe, called Yulu(gyokuro) tea. It has a sweet, mild flavor and fresh, flowery-green aroma.

Lianyi told him how he sees Beiyue eat. The way she does was different. No dimsum at all.

'Well, this is a balanced meal just enough for the belly.' said Beiyue. 'You give your body equal amounts of what it needs, without overeating.'

'Oh...'

'I've studied diet and its effects on children. Some things just can't be helped due to money issues, while for the wealthy, too much meat and delicacies that almost offer no benefits; being eaten just to show they got money for it, little to no vegetables and I don't see fruit either on wealthy tables. At least the poor eat fruit.'

They've had a meal together, after Di asked if it was OK to eat at the same table as their masters...because the boys eat separately as per rules.

'It's unorthodox for most people, but miss and I eat together on her preference, even since we were children.' said Dongling. 'But when Emperor visits, we had to do the rules since we have no idea how he'll react if I ate on the same table.'

Welp, that's that...

They ate differently too, but when it came to the yellow stuff...

'What is this? It's so soft and delicately-moist, delicious!' Di marveled in delight. Lianyi was just as amazed that such a dish existed.

'They're egg rolls.' said Dongling. 'It's a dish princess taught me!'

'They're eggs?! How?!'

'Aren't they normally tasteless? Nobody eats eggs because of that.' said Lianyi.

'You don't, but the poor do.' said Beiyue. 'I just figured a way to make eggs more tastier and bearable to eat for the poor. The result is egg rolls mixed with some choice seasoning other than a pinch of salt.'

And after dinner...Di nervously ate the pill...and when it took effect, gawd, how miserable!

'How long the misery lasts depends on the person.' Beiyue tut-tutted. 'Mine was two days, Dongling was six. No idea how long Di's case will last, so don't ask.'

'Well, I hope we have rooms for tonight...' Lianyi asked her hopefully.

'You do. I hope you won't mind your temporary accommodations...mother never had guests so she never built guest rooms.'

'Eh? Never when everyone likes her?'

'She's a very private person.' said Beiyue. 'She's painfully-aware of her reputation so what will stop visitors from snooping around when she's too nice to say no and purse some stuff when she's not looking?'

Lianyi twitched.

'...that, makes _sense_...'

xxx

Lianyi looked at his room for the night.

It was a servant's room. Big enough for a bed, a vanity desk at the foot of the bed with enough space to move the chair to sit in comfort, and a closet to the left point of view when he lies down. Little space in walking around towards the door. At least the bed was comfortable. Just how well did Princess Royal treat her maids? Beiyue followed the trend by example as this instilled loyalty in Dongling. The room was super-clean, well-ventilated, yet while it's summer, the bed was 'gently cool' so he isn't sweltering as he lied down after changing out of his clothes.

At least Di won't be miserable while being bedridden.

Bedridden in this summer heat? Uggghhh...

Good thing tomorrow is the weekend.

'How is your first night?' Beiyue asked the boys.

'Your home is a treasure in this miserable summer heat.' said Lianyi with a wry smile. 'It's hot outside yet inside the building, it has a gentle cool air even the bed is cool. In my days with that pill, sleeping on a hot summer night was downright miserable.' yeah, the memory of that, was misery incarnate.

'Well, that's why I enchanted my residence.' Beiyue snorted. 'A barrier around my residence walls to drastically lower the heat in the air that comes in here by 80%, so when the air goes into the house, it's comfortably cool. But in fall, winter and spring, it's comfortably warm. _We don't suffer at all_.' this got them choking at the unfairness of it all that Di began to beg.

'Oh wow! Please teach us the art princess!' Di pleaded while being the picture of suffering.

'Yes yes.'

The only reason she was civil to them, Lianyi reckoned, was because of his foster mother. He doubted he'll get this treatment if she hadn't said anything.

But he felt this will enable him to get to know the real Beiyue, when she's around people she felt she can be civil to.

What is the real Beiyue like in her home, her safe haven where she wasn't degraded nor persecuted by anyone for what wasn't her fault?

The girl who wasn't revenge in a girl's body?

xxx

Sunday...

Surprise Visitor in Prince Xiaoyao. An attendant came to inform them of it.

'Princess, is it alright?' Lianyi asked Beiyue who did an eyeroll.

'Your visitor, not mine.' she said. 'Your responsibility. Dongling, tea and snacks for two people and put them in the Parlor Room along with the hospitality.'

'Erm you're not joining?'

'Work.' and she left with a brisk walk.

'Sigh...not all people in the world are out to get her.' Lianyi groaned in dismay.

And so...

'Oh my, this residence is comfortably cool!' Xiaoyao marveled as the temperature within the grounds was different, inside the house was another thing entirely.

'It's the enchantments she put in...cool in summer, warm for the rest of the year.' said Lianyi. 'Due to er...Di's illness, we're here for a few days. Not like I could cook...' he said weakly.

'That's understandable...but from what I heard from the Emperor, very few can see her right now.' said Xiaoyao. 'Where is she?'

'Work in her workshop...'

BOOM!

That got the men alarmed, but not Dongling.

'Oh, that's normal, comes with the job young masters.' said Dongling casually. 'She usually comes out alright, if not covered in soot.'

'T-that's normal?' Xiaoyao choked out weakly in disbelief.

'Yes...I got used to it but the first few times are understandably...scary.' Dongling shuddered with a forced smile. 'I understand some professions have a health hazard risk, but still...'

'Where did Yue get the idea to become an Enchanter, Dongling?' Xiaoyao asked her kindly.

'Well...being a young governor can do that to anyone.' said Dongling. 'Miss sought out ways to make her jobs easier because she also trains. She decided that being Enchanter is the best way to go due to its inventing side.'

'Ahhh, I recall the Emperor happily saying she created a pen that has about two hours' worth of ink in its enchanted space, but for him alone, his pen holds a _gallon's_ worth of ink.' said Xiaoyao wryly.

That made Lianyi pause. The Emperor has a specially-graded pen?! A gallon's worth of ink in it?!

'I admit, using it made writing on paper a lot easier than writing on a brush for years. My handwriting has never been much clearer and its easier on one's writing arm.' he sighed wistfully. 'I can rest my arm as I write when before, writing with a brush _is such a chore_.' he complained. 'I wonder what else she'll make other than every day items we've known all our lives.'

'What about you Dongling?' Lianyi asked. 'I noticed that you're different from the usual maids.'

Xiaoyao and his attendant can agree. Dongling was no typical maid. For a mere maid, she has the aesthetic beauty of a noble lady in terms of skin and hair, and the femininity.

'Well, miss gave me Cosmetic Pills starting when a certain something happened when I was ten.' said Dongling, going pink in the cheeks and awkward. 'Then a set every month, until I'm fifteen years old before it stops. Same for herself. And also...I'm a trained Warrior even if I have the cultivation of a 9-star Summoner.'

'Rank?'

'Unofficially...Gold A-Class or a 9-star not-really-Summoner since I don't have a Spirit Beast yet.' said Dongling, flaring her own ki to show that she was of such caliber that impressed the men. 'As much as we want to go official for my sake, we could not. Not all masters are good to their servants and cultivation is expensive. And if it's known that I, a maid got such an opportunity...servants will get recklessly-dumb to ask their masters and get flogged for it or worse, fired.' she said grimly. 'This opportunity I've got was because of my loyalty for years and earned it.' she said. 'Honest loyalty is rewarded while those with dubious intent are always passed over.'

'Well, she can certainly afford you due to how wealthy she is...not all governors are as rich as she is.' said Xiaoyao wryly. Beiyue was a princess worth 550 before she er, downgraded to 320 million after giving back Miyang just so she could go to school! 'Speaking of those with dubious intent...was there any before Huiwen died?'

'Concubine Xue.' Dongling growled. 'Aunt Jiaqiu, my teacher who taught me all I should know in maidhood told me about that evil ingrate viper.' she said. 'She was a girl Princess Royal took in from Miyang among other girls whom she educated and gave jobs as maids. And what did she do? Betray the madam by seducing her husband to become a Concubine, the picture of one who bit the hand that fed her.' the two males bristled at that.

'The senior maids made it a point to remind her of it. But she also gave the maids employed by the Xiaos ideas, considering young masters are future men of the family...and I've seen a few girls blatantly try it out.' she sighed. 'Childe took the bait while second young master was a little bit smarter and never looked at the maids. He seems a bit reclusive and only had manservants. He seems to er...not like women.'

'Well, as expected of a son from those of ill-repute.' Xiaoyao shook his head. 'And Zhonglei doesn't like women?'

'Still looking into it...either he avoids the obvious, given his mother's origins...**or a cut sleeve**, we got no idea.' the two royals choked into their tea and Xiaoyao's attendant choked. 'As for the daughters, like mother like daughter indeed, in regards to second and fourth miss. Eldest miss was the picture of upbringing-gone-wrong so she was no better. Miss felt that kind and gentle Aunt Fang had a really poor life she gave eldest miss what she never had as a child and indulged her...end result, spoiled brat she couldn't even control...until miss had to terrify her real good so Aunt Fang can remarry without eldest miss jeopardizing her chances.'

'Define 'terrify'.' Lianyi grinned in his demand.

'Smothered her full force with her ki laced with threatening malice.' Dongling shivered as the look on her face was 'memory recall'. 'That day it felt like you're a cornered mouse against an angry tiger with a heavy beast sitting on your back...and you can't breathe. Eldest miss is terrified of Miss since and actually behaves.' she snickered. 'Aunt Fang has a new boyfriend now and soon if she remarries, she's gonna move out of the Xiao Estate with eldest miss. She sends eldest miss to a School for girls in regards to feminine skills because she learns how to cook and clean from me during the day after I take miss to school.'

'You seem to be fond of this lady.'

'She's the only decent human female in this estate, a genuine kind, gentle and virtuous lady when even the maids here when miss was a child was in her words, 'little shits'.' Dongling said with an armfold. 'She was the go-to when Princess Royal wasn't around and no time to take miss to the palace.'

'Ah...'

Later in the day, Beiyue came out, done from her work and took a shower. Clad in her civvies and not her dresses, an outfit that Lianyi was long used to with her hair down in no hairstyle. But Xiaoyao and his servant were in shock. It's an attire that emphasized her shapely, petite frame and her most prominent feature, were her smooth, creamy legs in a shape women can only dream of. It was in black colors, but still...

'Ohya, done from blowing your workshop up?' Lianyi joked, earning him a snort.

'Can it, wise guy.'

'Y-Yue, erm...' Xiaoyao croaked, bug-eyed at Beiyue's appearance. A t-shirt and short shorts with a pair of flats.

'Ah this? I wouldn't wear my silks in the workroom when stuff usually goes boom.' Beiyue shrugged. 'It'd be like throwing money away and my dresses are usually 10-50 gold coins each.'

'Yes but...isn't that a little...revealing?' and a man is staying over and she seems a little blase over this!

'I don't think so, it covers enough.' Beiyue, an earth girl, was oblivious to this part of cultural standards as she sat on one of the chairs, thankfully with her legs closed. Her hair magically lifted itself to drape over the back rest of the seat, just so she wouldn't sit on it. 'Dongling, Yumberry Ice Cream and a Mango milk shake!'

'Yes, miss.'

'Has Di eaten yet?'

'Yes, I gave him his lunch earlier.'

'Mm.' Dongling then left to get ice cream.

'And you're...seeing that for how long?' Xiaoyao asked Lianyi, glancing at Beiyue's outfit twitching while pink-faced from too much exposure.

'Since yesterday. It's what's normal in this household.' Lianyi chuckled. 'Besides, she could care less.'

'In my house I do what I want. I only bother with formalities and manners outside.' Beiyue told Xiaoyao. 'I believe within your home you got every right to be who and what you want to be as a means to relax in our rather stiff, rigid lifestyle since royals and nobles have an image to maintain to keep the respect of the masses.'

'Not that nobles have respects right now with scandals happening left and right.' Xiaoyao deadpanned. 'Crimes and scandals are exposed left and right with damning evidence all over I'm just glad I'm safe.' his offices and residence, he had no idea if it was bugged or not...

'That, too. Some noble clans are subjects of jokes now.'

'Even your own family.'

'No such thing as 'family' in this residence as far as I'm concerned.' Beiyue smirked, darkly. 'It's a use or be used attitude here as mom would tell me.' she said with a cold smile. 'House head lets his wives and kids tear each other apart so the best ones for him remains as after all, he only wants the best, flow of blood be damned.' she drawled mockingly.

'Wives sabotage each other and siblings do the same, aiding their mothers to be their father's favorite as their ultimate goal. The smart way to survive is to ensure nobody exploits you. You give an inch, they'll take several miles shamelessly as Xue and Qin have done, to mom's regrets, so she ensured Yuancheng can't do the same. Mother sent me away to Qinghe to avoid being exploited while defenseless in this dog-eat-dog residence, using me for my money and leave me with nothing. I realized that after I arrived in Qinghe and I got news she suddenly passed away as in this wretched plot of land, I'm the richest. So I wrote to royal uncle that he be my legal guardian for my protection and he did. After mother and Aunt Fang, he's the other adult I can truly trust in this city.'

"How has this girl grown up?" Xiaoyao shook as exposure to such a reality at a young age made this girl cold-hearted, unable to trust anyone. It seems he'll have to be careful since there is clearly only ONE chance...and it's lost forever.

'Halloo~' a jovial man's voice called out and the two royals saw a rather poorly-dressed, unshaved man come in.

"What the? Whatever happened to once-a-year visits?!" 'What the hell Xizhu-laoshi?!' Beiyue squawked as this got the princes bug-eyed. 'Back so soon?!'

'Hyaaa~ I got a really close shave I could use a vacation~' Urahara laughed jovially as both Lianyi and Xiaoyao thought,

"This man is her teacher?!" they thought in disbelief as the caned man went inside and he's rather wobbly and tired so Beiyue dragged him to the couch.

'Dongling! Another ice cream and shake! Extra visitooor!' Beiyue hollered.

'Yeeees!'

'OK, now what'd you do?' Beiyue asked Urahara wryly.

'Ahhh...I kinda ran back here for a bit.' said Xizhu with a grin. 'Y'see, I kinda got Yeyi reaaaally mad when one of my experiments blew up on her and covered her in foul-smelling sludge she chased me for days, wanting to bean my head dead! Especially when I told her the smell will stay on her for a month!' he laughed in an 'I don't care' manner.

'You brought that on yourself, you dumbass! The hell you experimenting with sludge for?!' her speech literally changed to crass Xiaoyao looked at Lianyi for help and the younger man shrugged, looking amused and utterly entertained. Her 'true self' is coming out!

'That's supposed to be a potion dearie~but I sneezed and poured too much of the last ingredient~it began to bubble I hid under my desk, Yeyi came at the wrong time in my lab and BOOM~she wants to kill me~'

'...'

'Sooo yes, I'll take a vacation in your house for a week till she cools down, m'kay?'

'Assuming she forgives you within that week or she'll geld you!'

'Ahahahaha!'

'Anyways, introduce yourself to my guests...'


	10. The Teacher

The Teacher

As Lianyi and Xiaoyao got to know Urahara who was well-versed with the story Beiyue told him about his background, she got information from the Hougyoku that as soon as he was back, Huiwen and Dongling's memories were flawlessly modified without them noticing, that Urahara existed in their memories how they wanted it done.

The question is, how'd he get the required Reiryoku for another dimensional traveling...? He himself said that it takes a lot that he can travel once a year!

Then again, he must have done something for frequent visits. This is Urahara she's talking about.

Now that Mimihagi's gone, The shinigami are no longer shackled to stagnancy.

'...won't you meet his majesty as he is curious about the man Princess Royal entrusted her daughter's tutelage to?' Xiaoyao asked Urahara.

'Ehhh the guy might be busy unless Shaoyue says otherwise.'

'Ah that? I can barge in anytime I want. I got that free card as long as he's not in some important meeting.' Beiyue told him. 'His aide always gives me his schedule for the month so I know when and when not to come.'

'Well, hopefully he's OK meeting this rough, travel-weary old man.' Urahara chuckled. 'I may look like this out of vanity but I'm old on the inside. I'll go see him when I'm presentable enough. I got chased in the countryside terrain-be-damned Shaoyi has no mercy, so I got a pile of things needed washing.' the men had an imagine spot of the man's situation it looked comical in their minds.

"Liar!" but alas, ruses must be made. Shinigami age slowly the more powerful they are. Urahara just doesn't give a damn about grooming much. 'Well, next time lock your stupid door.' Beiyue snickered.

'Yes, yes, dear.'

Soon, after getting his refreshments from Dongling, Urahara retreated away for a bath and getting laundry done.

'Quite a man, your teacher.' said Xiaoyao. 'He truly taught you everything.' the man answered smartly no matter what when they got to know him, only 'relaxing' when Q&A's done.

'Aa. I wouldn't be who I am now without him.' said Beiyue. 'I'm a capable governor but there are times he can be migraine-inducing exasperating with his antics.' she sighed. 'Lucky you guys met him at his most normal. If he's in the mood to give you a headache, god have mercy on you.'

'Ehhh...'

'And he's stronger than anyone you know and he can still kick my ass.'

xxx

In the Emperor's Office...

'Your majesty, Yue's teacher came today and will be staying for a week.'

'Oho? Beiyue's teacher? What's he like?'

'He's a carefree person with a penchant for...pranking and messing with people, but when Prince Yi and I talked to him in her residence, he indeed, is her Master.' said Xiaoyao. 'Yue's very casual with him, showing a degree of intimacy no typical teacher and student can have. Its's like they're close friends. We got his word that he'll meet his majesty when he er...recovered from a mishap.'

Xiaoyao explained what said mishap was that got the Emperor sweatdropping.

'Er...so he's hiding from his lady friend in her house?'

'Pretty much. Got chased from Qinghe to Xirong, then back to our country where he gave her the slip to hide in this city.' Xiaoyao chuckled before going serious, hiding half his face behind his fan. 'However...our Yue is a 9-star class cultivator...and she said he is stronger than her. Once he er, recovers from his little death flight from a justifiably-angry lady, he will show what he made out of our Yue as a fighter.'

'Mm! I'm looking forward to it.' said the Emperor in anticipation. 'He is the man Huiwen entrusted her daughter to.'

xxx

And so...

'Mmm...so you gave his servant that pill eh?' Urahara mused as he and Beiyue are alone in her office that she could transform into her former self, the 17 years old Kurosaki Ichigo who donned the clothing created by Shutara Senjumaru. 'Well I tested the stuff you gave me at home, grew and bred the required stuff even...they're fascinatingly revolutionary!' Urahara beamed.

'Hohoo, you managed to? Where?' he's a lot cleaner, paler skin with cleaner nails, and vibrantly-glossy hair...since he used HER toiletry as there was nothing else in the showers.

'In Soul Society of course. You told me these fellows can't survive in an environment with no reiryoku, so Soul Society's place it is.' said Urahara, fanning himself to enjoy the cold more. 'They grew splendidly there and I'm beginning research after concealing my fields. Too bad I have no access to spirit beast organs...so you can truly only give me recipes comprised of only herbs.'

'Well, spirit beasts in seireitei will cause chaos and Kyoraku's gonna kill you for that.' Beiyue pointed out. 'Try exploring the forests here during your short stay here.' Beiyue egged him on. 'By the way, what will you say if they find out?'

Urahara's grin was the 'I'll troll you till you get fried' grin.

'I created and bred them and I know the perfect bullshit.'

'Only you Urahara, only you.' Beiyue sighed. 'Tokoro de, can you figure out why Lianyi is ill? He told me his body is weak from illness all his life. Didn't stop him from cultivating and training though. He's in danger this year when his Political Hostage term ends at the beginning of Winter. The King of Beiyao is ill, he didn't declare anyone Crown Prince so when he gets home...Royal Civil War begins. And to think he didn't even want to be King.'

'Well...wow.'

'Once Di recovers from the pill, we will begin training immediately.'

xxx

And so...

'Hey, those two are alone for hours...' Lianyi approached Dongling. It's been hours since the two were gone.

'That's normal...he tends to dump a lot of work on her to keep her sharp with surprise oral quizzes in between.' Dongling reassured him. 'And every wrong answer...she has to take a bite out of a Ghost Pepper and that's why I'm making cold milk when they do those oral tests. Milk takes spiciness away.' Lianyi's expression was priceless. She's made to bite onto something horrendously spicy as punishment?! 'Incentive enough to study.' she smiled wryly.

'Wow...'

'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! DOOOOOOOONNNNNGGGLIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNGGGGGGGG!' came the freakout scream.

'That's my cue.' Dongling quickly scampered after taking the jug of milk and a cup into her space ring.

'...somehow, I'm glad he's not my teacher.' Lianyi muttered.

xxx

'Sigh, I can't believe I had to play that role!' Beiyue grumbled as Urahara laughed...because he wanted a lot of trolling as much as possible so he implanted memories in Dongling. She was forced to actually eat a fucking Ghost Pepper as it's impossible to fake acting that she 'ate one' and FUCK it BURNS! Dongling soon came as she thrashed on her couch, Urahara laughing his ass off so awkwardly, the pinkette gave her lady her milk...and Lianyi cautiously peeking in to see his host DESPERATELY down the milk to the point she wasn't breathing while drinking.

'You -gasp- suck, you shitty old man!'

'I live to please!'

'Fuck you!'

Lianyi's eyes bulged in disbelief.

Wow, crass all the way! A beauty talking like how she does, is amusingly comically shocking! Then upon seeing his shock, Beiyue asked, 'What, haven't seen a princess use shitty language yet?!'

'...you're the first actually.' Lianyi sweatdropped. The first foul-language-speaking tomboy princess he's ever met. And he thought Yingye's a tomboy! She clearly can't hold a candle to this one.

Urahara went hysterical.

"These people...!" Dongling sighed. She is so done.

Lianyi also got experience dealing with Urahara while Beiyue was doing her paperwork submitted to her by her employees.

He had a lot to gain due to his interest, thus asked the man what he wanted to know.

But naturally, he had to trade what little info he had...though, it concerned the man.

xxx

And so, days went by and Di finally got better. It was also Urahara's last day in this world before he goes back by midnight.

'OK~before we go to your training, Xiaoyao sorta made me promise that Royal Uncle will meet this old geezer so he'll be at the palace for today and wait for him to call on us when they're done talking.' said Beiyue, dressed in a ready-for-combat outfit. A halter top backless black uwagi with a white just-as-backless inner garment. Then a white obi band around her waist and white shorts, and white boots. She raised her right arm with her right hand being in a knife-hand, then made a downward slash they could see a line of darkness made and then she pried it open, and they can see the Emperor having his aides file away his paperwork while his bodyguards remained.

'Ohh! Beiyue! Welcome!' the Emperor took delight in seeing them on the other side before they can even go through!

'Hi uncle! My teacher's here so you guys can talk before we put on a show!' said Beiyue cheerfully.

'Oho! What kind of show?'

'Well, how he trained me to fight! It'll be a bit messy but that's what carpenters are for!'

'My my, what a carefree kid I have~' Urahara smiled playfully, crossing through, and Dongling brought a tray of mango shakes over on tall glasses with wheat stalks for use as straws, and placed them on the table.

'So you guys have a talk first before Xizhu-laoshi calls us over!' Beiyue waved goodbye and closed up her portal.

xxx

'So you're the man Huiwen trusted Beiyue to.' the Emperor mused as he offered Urahara a seat. 'I would like to get to know you well.'

'Hoho, I'd like to say I'm a fun person and a joker.' Urahara grinned. 'Because Beiyue when she started, was a rather gloomy kid.' he said, going seriously grim. 'Broken and traumatized with a crappy home life that happens when Shaohui's not around to see what her family's up to...and then hearing her mother died after she arrived in Qinghe.' the Emperor frowned at that. 'She believed she had no one other than you and her maid and the world hated her just for existing because she couldn't cultivate thus unable to do martial arts...and the worth of a human being was based on martial arts as well that she wasn't deemed a human just for being unable to.'

'She has a rather bleak view of humanity as a result...so I had to take steps.' Urahara looked at the Emperor darkly. 'Huiwen didn't give birth to a daughter she loved just so everyone can pick on her unfairly without understanding the situation. That sorta pissed me off, y'see? I got her letter and she told me what she found out apparently happens...when she wasn't around and she ain't happy.' Urahara took out a well-forged letter that the Emperor took and did a quick scan...before his hands began shaking. 'Huiwen would say she never did anyone wrong, what did she do in life to deserve all this.'

It was also a part of the modified memories Huiwen has.

'It's up to me to do right by her while my young lady friend died in unknown circumstances because she was hastily buried. Illness my foot, Huiwen would tell me Prince Xiaoyao spoils her with pills.' Urahara continued, fanning himself as he took a sip of the drink. 'Beiyue had bad experiences with men. Starting with her grandfather, father, brothers and the manservants in the Xiao Estate. She was understandably wary of me at first. Took some convincing to get her to trust me.'

'I-I see...' the Emperor looked genuinely dismayed.

'I had to be the funny man I am today for her sake while teaching her.' Urahara continued. 'Soon, she started to smile for real and can open up when before, she was like a clam, hard to pry open. However, that applied to only me as she hates everyone in this city. You and this Fang lady being sole exceptions. Then I discovered why she could not cultivate.'

'W-what's the reason?' the Emperor asked him, absolutely intrigued.

'She was chosen by two powerful spirits as their host.' Urahara said to the man's disbelief. 'Beiyue's element was compatible with them and inhabited her body. They liked how her energy felt to them even when she was a baby. But she was too young to learn martial arts with the power boost they gave her simply by being within her body, she'll die from the power surge.' the ruler's jaws dropped while his guards gaped at him.

'Beiyue frequently dreamed of them as imaginary friends because she was so lonely nobody wanted her around until Huiwen took in Dongling for her sake. But they weren't imaginary. They are BOTH real. She was in shock that she had real friends all along...but for her safety, she was erm, spiritually sealed by Zhanyue, the spirits in her body. Training her had to be taken with great care. Until she's strong enough to manifest those spirits as her actual partners with a little help from me. In fact, she's strong enough to bear their powers now in that tiny body of hers, that before we fight...I'll help her bring out Zhanyue first so she can fight me as a Summoner with those two.'

'You mean both of them are called Zhanyue?'

'Yes. Spelled as this.' Urahara drew in the air with his reiki to spell out 'slaying moon'. 'They are halves of a whole. One is a reasonable old man, the other is a somewhat bloodthirsty foul-mouthed woman eager for a fight, so Beiyue uh...learned some choice words and habits the old man had to scold his female half for being bad influence to an impressionable girl growing up.' he coughed. 'Beiyue learned how to be a smart-aleck, crass tomboy.'

'H-huuuuh?!'

'Haha, worry not, she's only like that within her own home. In public she maintains proper manners expected of her.' Urahara chuckled. 'In her words, not mine, you're only deemed a human being if you have a good reputation and a good martial artist. So that means to commoners who can't afford cultivation, they think they aren't human and what a cruel world we live in. That mindset was born because of how this city treated her behind her back, but she hears what everyone thinks of her through the grapevine.'

'I-I see...' the Emperor pinched her nose. 'But when we talk, she always seems so happy and bright!'

'Because it's you, one of the people who actually cares for her. She could be truly herself. Buuuut put her in a room with some random stranger...believe me, I've experienced her nihilism.' said Urahara wryly. 'It's quite...jarring. I've seen more cheerful frogs.'

'...you must have worked hard.' the Emperor said softly, but sadly. Urahara laughed hollowly.

'You don't know half of it. As a good adult, one must be someone children can rely on and trust. The go to when they want a sense of security and safety. Unfortunately, her father was worse than useless in that regard. I had to be the reliable adult after she lost her mother and became the father figure she should have had and I did a better job being 'daddy'.' Urahara said dryly. 'And I'm a very old man using pills to stay good-looking.' he's a few centuries old, by the way!

'Huiwen's misfortune, was being married off to him by your mother without even a background check, her marital life was an utter joke since she was ahem, effectively sold to an unrepentant philanderer and Shaoyue has a lot to say about that.' the Emperor twitched. He too, was shirty towards his mother for that. 'She wants to imagine she's her mother's child out of immaculate conception as they look exactly alike with nothing from Xiao blood whatsoever and she's _thankful_.'

'Looks like you went through a lot.'

'No kidding...what keeps Beiyue sane right now, are you, Dongling, Zhanyue and myself. But her world is not complete without Zhanyue and I figured out that problem...and if I bring them out...her cultivation will immediately skyrocket.' Urahara promised in glee. 'And she'll be happy to have her friends finally out in the open she can actually be with. I haven't told her yet~it's a surprise gift before we spar today and after that...I gotta run again.'

'So soon?'

'Hahaha Yeyi knows my energy anywhere! She'll be here in hours so after I fight Shaoyue I'm gonna run!'

'That's what you get for making foul-smelling sludge in the first place!'

'That's an accident~!'

'You don't _sound_ sorry!'

Urahara then took out a device he pressed on. 'Say, do you know where Beiyue and I can spar without consequences to property damage somehow within the palace?'

xxx

Xia Guang Hall, the space often used for banquets...

The Emperor, Lianyi, Xiaoyao, and their aides were present.

'OK Beiyue, before we fight, I have a little surprise.' said Urahara. 'A gift of mine before I run away from the scary lady again!' collective sweatdrops ensued.

'Huh? What gift?' Beiyue blinked owlishly. Urahara took out the Hogyoku and wondered what he's up to now.

'It'll hurt a little bit, but trust me, you'll like the results.'

He shoved the Hogyoku into her chest and she felt a familiar surge of power.

They all felt it.

It's...powerful. Ridiculously powerful, whatever these bolts were!

The whole city felt that massively-oppressive power surge and they have no idea where the origin was. In the palace, those able-bodied came out looking for it, but it's everywhere with no direction to pinpoint it to! Those too weak passed out from fear...and only those who are 7-stars and Silver Class A and up can withstand the pressure but they were oppressed as well.

"It's so strong!" those present could feel how dark and heavy it was, they could barely breathe!

A black burst of energy came out of her back as violent black volts, making her cry in pain, making her curl up and choke.

Soon, the volts stabilized...and took form.

A tall, lean-built, stoic middle-aged man. He has pale skin, high cheekbones, stubble, and long ragged black hair with brown highlights. His attire consists of a tattered white dress shirt with an upturned collar and cuffs, black pants, low-heeled boots, and a long, amorphous black overcoat with a burgundy highlight that flares out into ragged ends. He wears brown-tinted, semi-transparent wraparound sunglasses.

The other was clearly, female. A young woman with androgynous beauty and pure-white in appearance, eerily so. She has just as scary eyes, considering her sclera is black, with golden irises and black pupils, wearing standard shinigami garb. In white and black, too!

'Finally! We're out!' the female speaks as if she has several voices within her as she stretched as if having just woken up.

'Would you mind, reel in your massive pressure? You're crushing the humans except for Beiyue and Puyuan.' the male scolded.

'Yeah, well I wasn't expecting to come outta here old man.' the female scoffed with an armfold. That, and a literal mental invasion of what happened since Yhwach's death regarding Ichigo and they certainly didn't expect _this_, along with a fibbed story to feed the masses! 'Yo!'

Beiyue, wincing in pain in her gut turned behind due to those familiar voices.

'Z-Zhanyue?!' it sounds similar to the name of the Crown Prince, but they sure as hell don't look like him!

Yup, her jump-glomping them showed just how happy she was having them back.

'Good to be truly out here.' said Quincy Zangetsu with a small smile on his face, considering how much Beiyue wanted them back and how lonely she had been. Bad enough she was cut from family and friends, she was cut from the halves of her soul too!

'Yeah, well, being stuck inside for your own good sucks, but otherwise, you're meat sauce, brat.' Hollow Zangetsu snorted with a wry smile. But they each used an opposite arm to gently embrace their wielder. Nobody missed that, they can really see how close Beiyue was, to these two beings who clearly can't be human despite how they looked and she was really happy to see them.

'I researched during our years together as well as during my travels in how to bring them out for you while making it easier through training to make you durable enough, the main issue was bringing them out.' said Urahara. 'And now here are your sword spirits...time to fight, shall we? My last day is meant for you to show your progress.'

'What about it guys?' Beiyue asked her Zanpakuto.

'Hehe, let's play ya shitty ol' geezer!' Hollow Zangetsu declared challengingly, making Lianyi see this was where Beiyue got it from.

'Mm. Its been a while since we were last out...why not?' Hollow Zangetsu merged with Beiyue to undergo Hollowfication...growing up to be an adult version of herself with Hollow's colors in their shinigami attire post-royal palace visit...minus the cloak. She is now 5'7 tall, with a slim and slender, but curvaceous body with full, round size Ds.

Her adult face that possessed a greater beauty than her mother's has black markings and a singular horn on her head. Her outfit was a white sleeveless form-fitting kimono dress with black nagajuban and obi with a white cord securing it. Her dress ended in a miniskirt that ensures modesty no matter how she moves, courtesy of Senjumaru, along with a half-skirt billowing behind her legs. Her boots were knee-high, inverted colors of the boots arrancar wear. Her cultivation indeed skyrocketed as Urahara claimed. Her power was now beyond 9-stars.

And on her hands, were her weapons. Two, purely-black swords. One big, one small.

Beiyue then quickly suppressed herself just to stop her reiatsu.

'J-just what is going on? What happened to miss?' Dongling squeaked out as her mistress changed so drastically! And how! They were in disbelief at how much Beiyue changed upon the spirits merging with her.

'This is her true power, reason why those two spirits chose her because they're compatible power-wise.' said Urahara. 'Zhanyue are rather unusual divine beasts that come as a pair of humanoids when moving around or interacting with others...but their true forms are sentient swords capable of transforming their partner into a warrior who can wield them.' he explained. 'Thus, unlike summoners who make their beasts do all the fighting for them, Beiyue fights alongside her spirits, using them as equipment. And unlike your typical swords made by blacksmiths that can't cut spirit beasts...these guys **can**. In short, it's apt to call them Lingzhandao. **The terror of Summoners anywhere**.'

'A warrior who can slay Spirit Beasts when normally, only a stronger spirit beast can kill each other...' Xiaoyao croaked out, shaken by this revelation.

'Now then...let's fight, Beiyue!' said Urahara, his cane transforming into his sword. 'Awaken, Hongji!' his sword takes the form of a sleek, medium-sized sword. The hilt's grip, which has a gentle black-decorative wrapping, bends forward at the end, with a pommel shaped overlap three times, and a crimson tassel dangling from its base. Instead of a tsuba, there is a U-shape guard covering three inches of the blade, with a flower petal design. At the base of the guard is a red string wrapped thrice around the hilt, with a three-loop bow on the back side and a folded paper decoration on the front side. The blades' hamon is straight, colored black with a silver edge, and is somewhat thicker than the cane-sealed state. It remains straight and slim with a somewhat short size, with the tip ending in a slanted razor-like edge instead of tapering to a point.

Beiyue grinned.

'Let's play!' even her own voice was matured, but like Hollow, it sounded like several of her were speaking at once as she lunged at Urahara who grinned...

And all hell broke loose.


	11. The Incident at Xia Guang

The Incident at Xia Guang

Zhanye searched everywhere.

After that huge surge, everyone in his residence...his servants fainted from that seemingly familiar presence.

It's familiar.

He felt it once during the Admissions Exams.

"It's gotta be her!"

Why that surge, he had no idea. But for now, he has to find his father.

In times of crisis, the Emperor must always be secured first as he is the only one with authority to legalize EVERYTHING in times of crisis for the sake of the country.

He wasn't in places he would frequent...where could he be?

As he ran around, he stumbled upon Xia Guang Hall and there's his father, with Princes Xiaoyao and Lianyi along with some servants, and a man fighting a white-figured female with awesome skill, speed, agility and strength he was sure even he would have difficulty doing. Each blow of their swords produces blasts of shockwaves.

(it's combat without Shunpo usage)

'Father! What's going on?!' Zhanye gasped out as he safely maneuvered his way through.

'It's as you see, Zhanye. We are watching your cousin's growth, after four years in seclusion.' said the Emperor, not prying his eyes off the battle in awe. 'She is currently sparring with her teacher.'

'I don't know anyone with white skin and a horn!'

'It's a little complicated, but that's Beiyue.'

'Beiyue?!' Zhanye looked at the white figure who had the beautiful face sembling his royal aunt...THIS is Huang Beiyue?! Why is she older?! In fact, she's now around his age in appearance with womanly charms!

That timid girl he put to tears before, was _this_ now?!

In the chaos of the surge, noble clan heads and their strongest members went to the palace for orders from the Emperor, fearing they're under attack...they too, came upon this sight in battle and the royals were calmly watching, but with looks of awe and amazement. So it was a battle demonstration all along?!

'Hey laoshi! Go all out too! Worry about Yeyi later, she's probably countries away or something!'

'Ahahaha, if you say so!'

Urahara proved WHY Beiyue claims he is stronger than her. It was too true! His power surge was more imposing than hers! 'Time for a little technique, Shaoyue!'

Beiyue raised her larger sword, to unleash, 'Yueya Tianchong!'

That alone, was devastating. A large, highly-condensed moon-shaped energy attack was unleashed, creating a ridiculous trench in the ground, fired at Urahara who slashed it with his own sword from lower left to upper right, with the command, 'Ti, Xuexiadun(cry, blood mist shield)!' it was an eerie red energy shield, followed by a 'Tidao(razor), Hongji!' Beiyue leapt away to dodge it but it followed her, so she countered with a 'Yueya Shizichong!' by using two of her blades to create two Getsuga Tenshous, she fused both to make this. But not in a moon-shape, but in a rather sophisticated cross-shape this time, which she followed by a Kido. The 'Baibulangan(Hyapporankan)'. It was a white rod at first...that rapidly multiplied to several in a bid to pin him with no escape!

'Wha-!' the royals and noble gawked as Urahara smiled, countering it with 'Duankong(danku).' a rectangular barrier blocked her attacks...

...but his barrier cracked with large cracks!

'Such power...your majesty, what is going on here exactly?!' one of the noblemen asked the Emperor.

'It's a complicated story...for now, watch.' was all the Emperor said.

'There's no way we can produce the ki they throw out like candy in any lifetime even if we live a thousand years!'

Was the common consensus.

'Al~right Beiyue! Break time or we'll accidentally turn the audience into meat sauce at some point!' Urahara called out, as they paused. The newcomers were stunned. Beiyue? Where is she?

'Audience? What audience?' Beiyue asked, perplexed as Urahara pointed behind her, to see shell-shocked men, young and old alike. 'Oh. When did they get here?' she asked with a flat expression.

'Some time ago indeed...17 minutes, perhaps.' Xiaoyao smiled as Beiyue relaxed...to separate from Zhanyue and shrinking to her true form...shocking the masses!

The Emperor explained Beiyue's martial arts issues...and she is equal to her mother as a Summoner at a young age all this time. Her circumstances were bizarre leading to her childhood of mockery Huiwen found her a competent teacher who actually understood her situation as her husband was apathetic and immediately disregarded her as worthless without truly understanding the situation...as did everyone else in the city, causing the audience to look awkward. So yes, the princesses literally wrote him and the Xiaos off, distancing themselves. And to think that was BEFORE Yuancheng and his favorite wives conspired to steal money from a young girl!

This got the spotlight on Xiao Qiyuan and his grandson Zhongqi, that got them more awkward.

But as a Summoner who specializes in Slaying Spirit Beasts by merging with her summons to become her equipment that came with a side effect of temporarily growing up a few years ahead when worn...she was in fact, a Summoner's Worst Nightmare in combat, being contracted to literal sentient spirit swords. A pair sharing the same name that turns Beiyue into a Warrior Capable of Slaying Summoners.

Chaos ensued.

xxx

'Well, chaos ensued now.' Beiyue sighed as she had trouble dealing with it all as she made it clear she had known their true nature since she was a child, so she'll never consider any arrangements.

'But is it OK to make your statements clear? Nobles can be very vindictive.' Lianyi told her worriedly as they headed home via portal.

'It's OK. I can marry anyone I want. A princess' husband becomes Princess Consort after all.' Beiyue snorted. 'Even a commoner is better than any of them at this point.'

'Just don't be too negative, Shaoyue.' Urahara told her, taking out the Hogyoku. 'Well, gotta go now before Yeyi gets here!' he grinned as he vanished.

'Hopefully he learns his darn lesson.' Beiyue shook her head...

...but Lianyi and Dongling collapsed.

'Lianyi? Dongling?!'

'M-Miss...I...' Dongling gasped out feebly as she felt so weak, like everything was sucked out of her. 'What happened to us...?'

'I felt super-exhausted all of a sudden...rest assured I'm not poisoned, I'd know if I was.' Lianyi gasped out as the two struggled to even sit on a kneeling position on the floor. 'Just...what happened...?'

"Did Lianyi have a strong wish with the Hogyoku nearby and it granted him it after taking his ki as a price to match the wish?" Beiyue frowned in thought. It's the only possibility! 'Do you feel funny at all?'

'I'll try knowing when I rested enough.' so Beiyue put them to bed, as they wondered what happened.

Beiyue was worried on what wishes were granted by that stupid rock...

...the ones nearby Urahara so far is herself, Lianyi, Di, Dongling, Xiaoyao and her Uncle.

She may have to come clean if the two suddenly found their wishes granted so soon, but she'll keep quiet if it happened years from now.

The Hogyoku will materialize their deepest desires even they don't know about, or currently truly wanted.

She went to check on who else collapsed.

Just...indeed, two more people.

She worried about their wishes now...!

For now, she planted Sound Stones in the usual places again...and decided not to work today. She has three ill people to look after now...

Until then, she would go to the kitchen and wonder what to cook for three ill people.

xxx

News spread to families of what was witnessed that day about Huang Beiyue as on that same day, the Emperor collapsed from weakness.

'Father!' Zhanye gasped, picking up his father.

'Ahaha, worry not...I've been exposed to energies beyond me for far too long...and I'm getting old.' the Emperor reassured his son. 'I-I just need some rest, that's all.'

'Last I checked you're barely into 40!' Zhanye sputtered out. 'Maybe it's just Beiyue's power combined with her spirits. You need to rest.'

'Sorry to trouble you, but I'll need a little help, son.' said his father. 'I have gotten rusty from doing deskwork for years. It's only natural I can't have the strength to withstand the powers of you youngsters.' he snorted. 'I'm not who I used to be as a martial artist now. After you take me to my room, look after your sister.'

'Yes, father.'

He never mentioned his mother.

While their father loved his children, niece and his other wives, he remained cold to Zhanye's mother.

Nobody knows why, but his concubines are smug about it. So what if she's Empress? They have the Emperor's affections!

However, he experienced moderate exhaustion himself, and only then, did he gain the truth.

How did this happen...?

He just had a massive info dump regarding his parents' youths...

He knew the truth and it shook him to the core.

He felt utterly ill.

xxx

He never dreamed he would feel...so...weak, that he quickly retreated to his residence and managed to get to his room somehow without showing any weakness.

But upon getting to his bed, he felt like a limp noodle. His whole body without energy whatsoever as well as a good chunk of his ki lost somehow? Where'd it go? Certainly not Yue'er as their elements clash, he'd know if his ki went to her!

Beiyue...

As a child, she was pretty much a copy of her mother. Years changed that she became her own beauty, a beauty that surpassed Huiwen's. Once a known waste was in fact, a development under bizarre circumstances figured out by her teacher. And if she fights, she temporarily grows into teenagehood, thus a look into how she'll turn out in four to five years, if one were to ahem, disregard the fact that she took on traits of the female Zhanyue. But thankfully, it was Beiyue's traits that showed, showing how she'd look like as a young woman, not a girl borrowing Zhanyue's form. Zhanyue has wider shoulders and ahem, chest big enough to be _pillows_.

Beautiful, and just right.

But a flower of contempt, hurt for what she didn't deserve when she never offended anyone. She made her points very clear as she called out people out of spite...in political speak, of course, but while sons are yet to be trained in political arts, their fathers aren't stupid, and can only bite their tongue begrudgingly, having lost their sons a true prize.

Her beauty surpassed her mother's who was a renowned beauty even Dongli's strongest general Wei Wuchen sought her as a war prize. He thought she would never be a summoner until Zhanyue came to light. Divine Beasts that came as a pair of siblings whose natural ability were to slay those like themselves when common consensus was, only a Summoner can kill each other in combat, or through underhanded means in their own homes...via poisoning. And she's the wealthiest princess with strong values and principles she would rather marry commoners who were at least, 'decent human beings' at heart, than nobles who only care for three things: reputation, money, power. She spoke highly of commoners and how she envied their lives as it made up for their money troubles or somewhat well-off lives.

Indeed, they never investigated for the horrible truth, relying more on the words of her...not-really-father and the words of his malicious concubines.

Goodness knows how Emperor said how Beiyue resented her grandmother for the mess that was her mother's marriage and her own paternity that she doesn't trust anyone with her own marital destiny, and sought the Emperor's protection against 'marital stupidity' that the just-as-bitter man gladly granted her.

Beiyue has no idea of her uncle's past.

He doted upon her like she was his own child and she liked him back as family while happily ignoring an inconvenient truth, was because he held forbidden love for his own twin sister that Empress back then, had to separate them both...politically.

He had to admit, she angered many princes, marquis and dukes, as royal princesses are often bestowed to sons of these ranks, yet Huiwen was given to a man who wasn't even noteworthy, which he proved AFTER he married Princess Royal. Scandal after scandal until his eternal imprisonment!

Word spread when she was almost ten in the Palace because of how emotional the Emperor was in how Beiyue had been according to her own maid, that Empress Dowager had to come home to deal with her son who forbade her from talking to Beiyue. Princess Xihe could at least, visit the young girl...

For now, to legally visit her, he'll have to rely on Lianyi who somehow managed to cement himself as her 'brother' for they have 'the same mother', so she lets him in if only for the memories. For the younger man, Princess Royal was more his mother than his own was, even loving a son not hers. It meant a lot to the younger prince who wasn't wanted by his own blood so he would look after Beiyue for the late lady until its his time to go to...well, back to the hellhole he came from, end quote. He wanted to prove not everyone was her enemy before his hostage term ended.

A rather nice wish.

"Siblings by mother...huh." Songmi Xiaoyao thought, looking up his ceiling.

xxx

'Alright...' said Beiyue as the next day, Di fully-recovered while Lianyi was somehow still lethargic. Dongling wasn't much better so Beiyue made breakfast. 'Lianyi, will you recover in time for training after school?'

'I sure hope so.' said Lianyi with a wince. 'I never felt so drained in my whole life!'

'Well, I'll inform the Imperial Academy you fell ill again.' said Beiyue, opening a portal to the Faculty Room of the Imperial College just to leave a note on Lianyi's desk, weighed down by a flower paperweight. He was by far the best Guzheng Player he was even a TA while attending his other classes. Too bad he can't come today.

'That's a really convenient way to travel.' Lianyi pouted as his and Dongling's breakfasts were Oyakodon, Congee-Style while Beiyue's and Di's were normal fare.

'Di, lunch is up to you later alright?' Beiyue asked Di who nodded as they all settled down to eat.

And so...after breakfast, she left Di to clean up, while she opened a portal to school and left.

xxx

School...

Lingyang's Social Clique is split into two: those who came from 'stained families' and those who 'weren't stained'.

Even then there's a hierarchy among the stained. Those who had the most, and those who had the least.

Those who had 'the least' had higher authority and repute over those who were more stained than them.

They are now trying to curry favor with those who weren't to redeem themselves from the stain caused upon them by their family elders.

Politics was terrible, and Bugiel Luoluo wanted none of it and he's only 13, thank you very much! He avoids his fellow 'clean ones' as much as possible.

He was also curious because when his father came home, the topic was the most controversial person in all of Nanyi Country. Huang Beiyue.

She was a known waste...due to slander by her own family much to Princess Royal's chagrin when the truth was a lot more complicated, but could not reveal until the time was right. She had to look for a competent teacher that can bring out her daughter's full abilities and power while getting around SAID complications.

Due to the slander, Beiyue refuses to accept anyone as suitors as she was able to judge their characters accurately by what they think of her alone she would choose a slug any day over them. His father has high hopes for him to win her over as one: she would be a wonderful addition to the family as she doubled the income of two provinces which speaks highly of her abilities as governor, what more if she joined their family?! Goodness knows being clan head of massive trade operations isn't easy that to be a wife of their family, they must be savvy in mercantilism or if not, at least be capable spiritual and mental supports to their very-stressed husband who has hellish workloads for the sake of managing their many, many operations and being nearly a billion rich...for the sake of salaries of their subordinates and maintaining everything in working order, AND raising cultivation of competent, trusted help!

And two, their family once never disparaged her as they know not everyone, is made for martial arts. Particularly those ranking Baron among the aristocracy as cultivation is EXPENSIVE, they could only hope for 2 stars and be done with cultivation to compensate with skill. Their talents lie elsewhere and soar high. That, was why the Imperial College was built. So his father knows Beiyue knows they're innocent.

Many excelled as Musicians, Artists, Doctors/Nurses, Chessmasters, Scholars, Tacticians and Militia Members.

Problem?

Due to what was done, she became cold-hearted with a tongue to match. Ohhh how his father could not forget a certain day in court! In contrast to her mother. But if you were treated horribly and you clearly didn't deserve it, you'd be like that too!

Second problem?

Luoluo was the first and only trueborn son of the family, that he grew up in a gilded cage. Despite being richer than even Huang Beiyue, he wasn't allowed to cultivate beyond what's acceptable nor know martial arts and put him in danger. Because if one grows too powerful, they tend to be reckless and overconfident with abandon. His mother can't have any more kids as him being a difficult birth damaged her organs severely. While it was nice to be loved and held precious, he does NOT appreciate being coddled into cotton fluff! Even better? He came to school a year late! He started this year when he could have started last year!

He sighed.

He wondered if he could EVER advance...

He looked all over Lingyang where she haunts since school began.

It was hard to find a loner like her. Finding her was half the challenge. Befriending her for real was another thing entirely.

"This will be one heck of an adventure, at least for me!" he swore.


	12. The Royals

The Royals

'Your highness...you seem to be in deep thought a lot.' Yong'an, Zhanye's eunuch aide spoke as his boss was in a daze for days lately.

'A-am I?' Zhanye was a bit shaken after being snapped out of his daze, asking his aide.

'Yes. I'm pretty sure you looked at the paper enough yet not seen its contents.' said Yong'an. 'Maybe you should rest a bit?' he suggested in concern. 'You also haven't been sleeping well lately.'

'...perhaps.' Zhanye sighed, capping his brush pen. Having this revolutionary item certainly made work easier. His father was happy to brag who made it and he got the special gold pen he would give to him once he's old enough for the throne...as part of his many privileges. If not for his father and memory of her mother, he was pretty sure Twilight Palace's function would be...a lot different.

Not only that, thanks to gossipy servants...the whole palace knows what the Emperor and Beiyue's teacher talked about in his office...he never imagined Beiyue's past in such a way that drastically changed the atmosphere of the palace. His cousin held a lot of hate and bitterness.

Three days since the fight in Xia Guang...was also the day he had massive info dump on things he wanted to know for so long.

He wondered how he got what he wanted, at the expense of moderate exhaustion, unlike his father who was crap-tired!

Wait...

He got what he wanted and got tired. Information about his parents that led to why his father hated his mother...and why his mother married his father _who was in love with his own twin sister_! That love...led to one hell of a mess that spanned years up till his sister's death.

Or rather, not-dead. Beiyue figured out what was to happen...and ensured her mother won't die despite not knowing who the killer was as her mother won't say who wanted her dead. She created a fake body with her powers and de-aged her mother...most likely, with Zhanyue's help without managing to kill her, and made her mother flee elsewhere, wishing her to live the life she wanted, before Beiyue fled to Qinghe with her maid with important stuff and sealed their mansion with a barrier. Royal Aunt has since been in Xirong for years, doing who-knows-what and his intel ended there.

His father was super-tired...?

He then felt conflicted.

How can he ask him without revealing what he got in turn?! His father will turn the country upside-down just to get his sister back!

He'll have to find out the hard way...

'...Yong'an, get me liquor. I need to drink this away somehow.'

'E-ehhh?! You're only 16!'

'I won't overdo it.'

xxx

For the Emperor...

He was certainly very tired.

But!

In exchange for this sudden abnormal exhaustion...

He KNEW.

Urahara's words BOTHERED him.

Indeed, Prince Xiaoyao was close to her when they were kids, much to his annoyance. As he became a Pharmacist, he doted on her with pills so it was impossible for her to die from sudden illness!

He wanted the truth about the circumstances so bad...and he knew. From start to finish as soon as nearly all his energy was consumed.

The mess started...when everyone suspected him of being in incestual love with his sister(which was true) so his mother pried them apart. A hasty marriage bestowal on that bastard, and that woman...and events leading down to his sister's so-called death, but not!

His beloved niece caught on that someone wanted her mother dead, tearfully begged her to help her fool everyone instead of her mother accepting her fate. Beiyue crafted a fake puppet using sorcery, and made her mother younger again and flee to somewhere where she could live the life she desired, as Beiyue fled to Qinghe...and the maids and that BITCH without the wiser, watched her drink poison...made by Xiaoyao who didn't know who it was for. He was asked to and paid for it. He was among those angry with rage later on, when he found out who died in such a manner and left in grief.

They fooled everyone, including her own maid who genuinely believed Princess Royal was dead.

Even better?

He just found out who Beiyue was that got him leaping with tears of joy. No wonder he held a special love for her! He just wished, she was born out of love, not because...well...his sister had to save his life, but still! Beiyue felt she wished Yuancheng was never her father? Little did she know she got her wish long ago! She has no idea who her father really is.

He took out the brooch she made for him. It was a two-way brooch incase he wants her for a job as the Master of Twilight.

It was a cutesy compact brooch only a girl's taste would make(think Wedding Peach's transformation brooch). He pressed the green gem open, and when it flipped open, he pressed the diamond button, causing the small mirror inside to blink in glowing lights, playing a gentle, but lively version of the anime's opening song, until... /Yes, uncle?/

'Open a portal to your office. We need to talk in absolute privacy.' said the Emperor urgently.

/OK, I'll go to my office first.../

Seconds later, a portal opened, and the Emperor watched her put on many barriers.

'Uncle, is it a sensitive job?' Beiyue asked him on business mode.

'Not for now but how could you not tell me sister is alive?!' the Emperor wailed on her, making her blink.

'H-huh? I-I don't know what you're talking about...' Beiyue feigned dumb but her uncle just embraced her tightly. A little tight but this kind of hug...she knew what type. Parental type. She missed it from her REAL mom and old goat, but she gets it from her new mom when she visits. And this guy too by the way...

'I got extremely exhausted after that conference talk...and suddenly, I knew what I wanted to know about sister...she's secretly alive thanks to you!' the Emperor sobbed, causing Beiyue's eyes to widen. The Hogyoku, she realized. It materializes the deepest desires of those near it! And her uncle wished for that sort of knowledge?! 'Let me see her! Please! I don't know how it happened, but I'm thankful! You wonderful girl!'

'I don't know how the heck that happened...b-but wait till after dinner OK? Mom works in a Temple School in her fake identity!' Beiyue squeaked out. 'Unlike Lingyang School, Temple Schools finish at dinnertime so she goes home 20 minutes once school lets out and buys take-out for dinner.'

'Why on earth would Huiwen work in a temple school?!' the Emperor complained. 'She's rich!'

'For her identity as Hongmei, a commoner-class teacher, she can't be seen with too much gold. Even ten gold coins is too much already.' Beiyue deadpanned. 'I bought her a completely-furnished cute house in Chunyi City in Xirong and I send her money every month, just enough to keep the ruse. But rest assured mother is living well.'

'Define living well.'

'Comfortable life by commoner standards, and she was happy to have real friends and gets to do things she could never do before because she's a princess whom everyone expects highly of.' said Beiyue. 'We planned everything out. Her salary as a teacher is 3 silver a month.'

'I see...I want to visit sister when you know she's home, alright?' the Emperor asked her. 'And procure for me commoner clothing for men.' he requested. 'And...I have a mission for you.' this was the EMPEROR speaking, the Emperor who wants something DONE. 'Stealing concrete evidence, so we can utterly destroy the one who wanted Huiwen dead!' he said to her in dark vindictive glee. 'I know where to get it all so you can steal it and then ensure it rains in the middle of a court meeting without implicating yourself. Your energy is just too recognizable. You're the only darkness element in this whole country.'

'Alright.' Beiyue nodded as they conspired together. 'I'll have Dongling do it. Lots of people are Earth Element.'

'Mm. I will tell you where they all are and how to get to them...later, help me see sister, alright?' the emperor made her promise.

'Alright...' Beiyue smiled a little sadly. 'Sorry about lying about mom...but its to protect her. We had to...make it authentic. Its hard to convince her to break free from the shackled dutiful princess that she was.'

'I know...' the man before her sighed. 'All I care about is the people I loved most are near me.' he said with a smile. 'I'll go back to my bedroom. Nobody should see my messed-up face for now.'

xxx

'The Emperor called you out earlier...what's it about?' Lianyi asked her curiously.

'Secret~that's worth your life.' Beiyue smiled a little too sweetly. Lianyi gulped before looking sheepish.

'So did you compose that song in your brooch?'

'Kinda...' "Liar!"

'Can you sing it?'

Beiyue went pink at that.

'D-don't laugh or I'll kill you!' Lianyi chuckled at that.

'I won't!'

Muttering, Beiyue summoned her guzheng. After playing the intro...

**I have many dreams, I want a lot of frills, oh please on my wedding dress.**

Lianyi's eyebrows went up and he went slack-jawed. This coming from this cynical little girl?! She wanted to smack his face for that, but she went on singing.

**Will I find a wonderful love, like my mama? **  
**I want my heartbeat to reach out and whisper 'make a wish'. **  
**The flower petals dance, and my eyes are dazzled by the light.**

**I gaze at him, and he knows it, it's that kind of situation! **  
**There are girls who believe in, and dream in it. **

**I want to protect it and weave a dream, with a wedding ring's radiance. **  
**An angel's smile will turn even tears into rainbows.**

'W-wow...' he croaked out. 'This is unexpected, coming from you!' he earned a playful smack on the shoulder for that. 'Ouch.' he drawled playfully because that felt nothing because it was meant to be a playful smack.

'Can it, wise guy!' Beiyue pouted. 'I want to be optimistic once in a while!' she huffed as she banished her guzheng. 'If I actually found love and had a happy marriage, any daughter I have will inherit this short song from me.' she told him.

'So you want a dream like that huh?' Lianyi said thoughtfully.

Well, she's still a girl after all, girls dream of love with a man just for them.

At least...for most girls, he thought.

Nobility does NOT work the way like commoner women do...noblewomen aim to marry up for a life of pampered luxury on their husbands' gold while climbing up the social ladder, who cares who they destroy in their wake. That was how Beiyue sees it. She looks down on noblewomen as a result and admires commoner women...at least, the women who don't work as maids for nobles and royalty, these women tend to have ambition that's too high and the greedier they get, the risks they take until they slip and die from the fall. It's rare to have maids who are only working for snobs for money to support family.

'Yeah.' at least, her first mom, Kurosaki Masaki had wonderful love even if it's to an idiot. This song was for her and herself as her second mom Huiwen, is NOT the star of this song.

'Do you know other songs?'

'I do...but I'm NOT having a concert out here dammit!'

'Come on, for me pretty please?' Lianyi pleaded with a playful smile.

'Dumbass!'

xxx

Watching the pair from afar, were two servants.

'...your master's done a fine job mellowing her to him.' Dongling said to Di. 'She's only nice to her people in Qinghe who didn't hold her childhood against her in regards to people who wasn't me, royal emperor and Aunt Fang.'

'Well, master has his way around people...it helps that he convinced her that they are 'siblings'...when he wanted more.' Di honestly told Dongling. 'He wanted to fulfill her only dream to make her happy.'

'S-so he's courting?!'

'Yup.' Di nodded vigorously. 'He'll be good for princess but I hope they get past politics...AND one hell of a fortress called her Uncle.' he gulped fearfully. 'That's a battle master must win. Goodness knows as Princess hates all men in this city she be willing.'

'I hope it'd be THAT easy...I mean, Emperor will give princess everything but uh...marriage to a foreign prince might be another tale entirely?'

'D-don't jinx...'

'Hey, you haven't seen how scary he is at his most overprotectiveness...'

Nighttime came, after dinner...

In her office, Beiyue's brooch rang.

It's time.

Time to smuggle the Emperor to her mother.

'It's a little weird seeing you in that get-up...' Beiyue twitched as she procured the clothes herself from the local market while disguised as Ichigo. Thus the Emperor, is disguised as a commoner man. He even went as far as shaving his moustache off, and consuming cosmetic pills that removed his wrinkles and eyebags from his workloads, as well as stuff caused by stress.

He looks like a man in his thirties, not forties. All his hair in a bun covered in cloth.

'Well, I have to pretend to be a commoner man after all!' the Emperor laughed jovially. 'Is she home?'

'...five more minutes, sooo I'm going to put you in her living room OK? You'll startle her a bit, so go easy on mom OK?' Beiyue grinned as she opened a portal to her mother's house in Xirong. 'Good luck with mom and I'll take you home by midnight, OK?'

'Tomorrow morning!'

'Yes yes. Before breakfast then.' and the Emperor went through her portal, eager to meet his sister again. '...what close siblinghood huh? I'm not even THAT close to Yuzu or Karin...'

Truth is stranger than fiction...and she has no idea.

xxx

It was yet another day in school.

In Temple Schools, it lasts seven years because of literacy issues.

An average person knows 5000 characters just to get by. And to ease it on the mind, 804 a year, so by month, students learn 67. That's usually the case.

But not for Hongmei-laoshi of Ludi Temple School in Chunyi City. She is a teacher in that school, and all capital cities by law, have to have four temple schools for civilians. For tiny villages and towns, if they want an education, they must move to a city for seven years and live in apartments with a relative until old enough to fend for themselves. And a year's worth of Tuition Fee costs 1000 copper or 1 gold coin. Per student. Hence teachers have monthly salaries of 2 silver.

Not everyone can afford that kinda money. But alas, rules are rules. You can't pay, you can't be here. Because money is needed to run and maintain a school, as well as pay employees.

Her students were said to be really quick learners as she is the Language Teacher for years 1 and 2 students. She teaches grammar and easy-to-write characters little 6 years olds can comprehend until they're 8 years old. And she feeds these kids the pills Beiyue feeds her students for memory-retention. Grammar is the hardest to remember and perfect after all at first, until you get the hang of it. It's cheating, but 1 gold a year is tough on most civilians. And her daughter forages the needs from the wild and refines them with help from Xizhu, so its not like they spent money for this valuable pill...that normally costs 50 million gold by the way!

But when it came to Grade 3, these kids are 'back to normal', in regards to natural abilities as they no longer get her pills. And she ensured the kids do not say a word, ever since she began teaching at age 17, after wandering the world for two years to 'find herself' after years of obedience as a dutiful princess.

Hongmei, or Huang Huiwen found many things about herself once she's tasted freedom. Freedom was all so, so surreal as she discovered herself more and more.

She wore a mask as her face was too famous though...adventures and misadventures galore, meeting people, doing quests...until she decided to settle down back to Xirong, in Chunyi City where she began, and became a teacher...after passing application exams of course.

Her first batch however, came with er, cheating, because her daughter helped her by giving her supplies of pills, including a set for her own cultivation, courtesy of her old friend.

And this year, Xizhu paid her a visit, telling her about her child's situation...that definitely explained why she suddenly had immense powers when before, she could not cultivate. But she's grateful to Xizhu nonetheless, but sad that her daughter became bitter with life and her countrymen to the point she won't marry any man in Nanyi Country.

Perhaps she can be with Yi'er? She knows the boy she raised, he would never hurt Beiyue.

That may be for the best.

As she came home and opened her lights...

...she dropped her take-home meal when she saw what awaited in her home.


End file.
